We remain grateful to our local youth for sharing their talents with us. Our Fourth Annual Youth Art Contest tied to our 36th Annual Plant Sale was no exception. Our 2021 theme was Nature Journaling and we received 28 entries from all over Snohomish County including youth in Arlington, Bothell, Everett, Lake Stevens, Lynnwood, Marysville, Mill Creek, Monroe, Mountlake Terrace, Stanwood and Tulalip. You may view all of the entries via this little video. (Please note that voting for the People’s Choice closed on March 16th.)

In the fall, we will announce the theme for our 2022 contest tied to our Annual Plant Sale.

Thanks again to our artists (and the parents and teachers who support them)!

2021 Winners and People’s Choice Recognition

Rabbit Next Door by Edison Dippery - 1st Place and People's Choice Award - PreK-K

"View from Edison's kitchen window where he sees a wild rabbit on many mornings laying by trees. The trees are traced from his hands and he made the scissor cut outs for the green trees. A dried leaf is added to show the leaves he found on the ground under the trees. The rabbit with googly eyes is named Bobo. Edison is new to writing his name, so he demanded to sign his name on a sticker on the back of his journal so not to disturb the scene!"

I Love Backyard Birds by Gwendolyn Immor - 2nd Place - PreK-K

"I used crayons to show all of the birds I get to see in my backyard. I see Stellar Jays...I see Crows...I see Hummingbirds...and I see Goldfinches - they are the most beautiful to me. The squirrels are sneaky and I see them try to take the birds' food up the fir trees. I would also like to share my nature journal with my teacher because I think she enjoys seeing the birds, like me."

Hummingbird and Purple Rose by Ayla Gerde - 3rd Place - PreK-K

"A hummingbird visits a purple rose in the flower garden."

Life of Honeybees - by Lucy Boots - 1st Place - Grades 1-2

"Honey bees work really hard to make honey. They collect pollen from their favorite flowers and then turn it into honey in their honey comb hive. But only girl bees do that. Boy bees stay with the queen bee to make babies. Honey bees can fly up to 3 miles away from their hive working every day of their 30 days of life. Why do bees make honey? Look at my drawing and find out!"

My Nature Journal by Aaralyn Grant - 2nd Place - Grades 1-2

"My Nature Journal is a snapshot of my local community through my eyes and thoughts from the ground to up high in the tress. I hope you enjoy it!"

Downy Woodpecker by William Johnson - 3rd Place and People's Choice - Grades 1-2

"A watercolor Downy Woodpecker perched on a tree besides another tree. Green leaves and Blue sky as well."

Nature Walk on a Trail by Aarohi Jaygude - 1st Place - Grades 3-5

"When I go on walks or when I am on a trail, these are the many things I see in nature. I enjoy seeing hopping squirrels. I see many eagle feathers across trails. I've picked a few feathers for my arts and crafts. I also see many colorful mushrooms and I notice many spiky Western Hemlock trees. On the ground, I spy lots of worms, acorns, and slash pine needles. I notice maple leaves on trees and on the ground. I love looking at Evergreen Trees. Nature teaches us and gives us a lot, but it never expects anything in return from us. Whenever my family has time, we go for a nature walk."

Show love to earth with Trillium Ovatum by Vaaruni Bhargava - 2nd Place and People's Choice - Grades 3-5

"Materials used - watercolors and paper ; I have made this painting of earth covered with the native plant Trillium Ovatum. I covered the earth with this plant because its leaves are heart shaped. It represents that you need to show love for plants and make earth a more green planet."

Pond Life by Charlotte Freestone - 3rd Place - Grades 3-5

"My journal entry is about a day that we went to the pond and learned about plant life and the different zones on the pond’s edge."

Our Backyard by Maia Donnelson - 1st Place and People's Choice - Grades 6-8

"Animals and plants on open land: Peregrine falcon, dandelion, clover, eastern cottontail rabbit. :). Graphite pencil drawing on paper."

Backyard Heaven by Grace Cook - 2nd Place - Grades 6-8

"The view in my backyard with a forest of trees, beautiful night sky and outside cats enjoying our yard underneath the stars and moon."

Dogwood Leaf by Brayden Ingalls - 3rd Place - Grades 6-8

"A drawing of red dogwood leaf I found outside my house in the fall."

Edible Thistle by Saraiah Donnelson - 1st Place and People's Choice - Grades 9-12

"Describing edible thistle and some of its uses for birds and humans, as well as other interesting fact about thistle."

Pacific Tree Frog by Lilia Freire - 2nd Place to Grades 9-12

"Observations on the pacific tree frog. Illustrations: side view and underside of the frog."

Maple Tree by Natalie Freitas - Tied for 3rd Place - Grades 9-12

"A maple tree with moss on the trunk and the branches facing mostly to the right."

Shrubs in Midwinter by Ilana McGrath - Tied for 3rd Place - Grades 9-12

"The artwork includes two pencil drawings from January 4th, 2021. The first depicts a red huckleberry bush, the second is of a pacific rhododendron bud."

Pre-K to Kindergarten

Edison Dippery - “Rabbit Next Door” - People’s Choice - Everett
Gwendolyn Immor - “I Love Backyard Birds”
Ayla Gerde - “Hummingbird and Purple Rose”

Grades 1 to 2

Lucy Boots - “Life of Honeybees” - Stanwood
Aaralyn Grant - “My Natural Journal
William Johnson - “Downy Woodpecker” - People’s Choice

Grades 3 to 5

Aarohi Jaygude - “Nature Walk on a Trail” - Mill Creek
Vaaruni Bhargava - “Show love to earth with Trillium Ovatum” - People’s Choice
Charlotte Freestone - “Pond Life”

Grades 6 to 8

Maia Donnelson - “Our Backyard” - People’s Choice - Arlington
Grace Cook - “Backyard Heaven”
Brayden Ingalls - “Dogwood Leaf”

Grades 9 to 12

Saraiah Donnelson - “Edible Thistle” - People’s Choice - Arlington
Lilia Freire - “Pacific Tree Frog”

And tied for 3rd…

Natalie Freitas - “Maple Tree
Ilana McGrath - “Shrubs in Midwinter”

News

2021 Youth Art Contest Winners and People's Choice