BETTER DAYS SHE STARTED IT – ANNUAL STUDENT ART CONTEST

Utah women make history, but they’re often missing from our textbooks, classrooms, and public art. We need your help to change that!

Better Days’ annual student art contest is open for submissions through January 25, 2023. Winners in each age category will receive cash awards and prizes from Utah businesses, and they’ll be displayed at the State Capitol on at our student event on February 22! 2D-format artwork will also have the opportunity to be part of a special traveling exhibit with the Utah Division of Arts & Museums. Download the flyer for all the details, and submit your art here!

Students grades 4-12: Create an original piece of art portraying a woman in Utah history who made a difference in your community. Submit a high-res photo or two of the artwork and a 300-word artist statement telling us:

· Why you chose the woman you portrayed,

· What she did for your community,

· How your artwork tells her story, AND

· What you’re inspired to do to build on her legacy of leadership.

Judges will evaluate entries based on:

· Interpretation of theme

· Creativity

· Clarity

· Artist Statement

· Originality (extra points for highlighting a woman who isn’t already featured in an illustration at utahwomenshistory.org/bios

Educators: Share this contest with your students and consider making it a class assignment! We have lesson plans, scavenger hunts, virtual field trips, and more activities to get your students thinking. It’s also a great question to ask parents, relatives, or the local historical society.

Check out the virtual exhibit of past winning entries here!

The Central Utah Writing Project (CUWP) is currently accepting applications from teachers from all grade levels (K-university) across all subject areas for our annual three-week Summer Institute in June. Applications are due January 31, and we’d love you to pass this information along to teachers you think might be interested in this professional development opportunity.

What is CUWP? A local affiliate of the National Writing Project, CUWP is an organization dedicated to helping all teachers, regardless of grade level or content area, become better teachers of writing within their disciplines. It encourages teachers to see themselves as writers with something to say.

How would attending CUWP’s Summer Institute (SI) benefit me? SI offers a place to associate with other teachers looking to improve their teaching of content writing. You’ll learn strategies and gather ideas to help you everyday in your classroom. You’ll have time to think about writing instruction and have time to write yourself. You’ll earn 6 college credits at a deeply discounted cost (about $300) or the equivalent in PD points (no cost). And while you’ll work hard, that effort is interspersed with food, friendship, and fun. At the end, you’ll become a CUWP Fellow.

When and where is the CUWP Summer Institute (SI) held? We meet on BYU campus from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm four days a week the last three weeks of June. This summer’s dates are:

Pre-Institute Kick-Off: Friday, March 24, 2023, 5:00-8:30pm

Running Start: Saturday, April 29, 2023, 8:30am-3:30pm

Summer Dates: (8:30am – 3:30pm each day)

Monday, June 12 – Thursday, June 15

Tuesday, June 20 – Friday, June 23

Monday, June 26 – Thursday, June 29

How do I apply? If this sounds like an enriching and rewarding experience, please apply via the link provided here. Note you will need a letter of support from your administrator as well (template provided here). If the three week Summer SI is too big a commitment for this upcoming summer, please consider joining us for the One Week Summer Institute (information forthcoming on the CUWP website).

Contact: Dr. Amber Jensen

Assistant Professor of English Education

Brigham Young University

Office: JFSB 4096

Phone: (801) 422-2234

Naomi Watkins, Ph.D.

Secondary English Language Arts Specialist

Utah State Board of Education

(801) 538-7616