CA encourages students to enter art contest and help spread anti-bullying message

Bullying isn’t just a school problem, but a community problem. Howard County students can continue to take a stand against it by taking part in Columbia Association’s (CA) Anti-Bullying Art Contest.

The contest is open to students from kindergarten through 12th grade who live or attend school in Howard County. Children who attend home school or who attend a school without grade levels should enter the comparable grade level.

All artwork must be created solely by the students, with the medium being a hat or a sneaker that is made into a piece of artwork that reflects a message of peace, love, unity or friendship.

Art submissions will be accepted from April 25 through May 1 at the Columbia Art Center, which is located at 6100 Foreland Garth in the Long Reach Village Center. Each submission should include the student’s name, grade level and school on the reverse side of the artwork.

All of the artwork entries will be showcased at CA’s 2nd annual Hip-Hop Dance Off, which is being held on Friday, May 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Columbia Athletic Club, which is located at 5435 Beaverkill Road near the Harper’s Choice Village Center.

There will be one winner from each grade category: kindergarten through 2nd grade; 3rd grade through 5th grade; 6th grade through 8th grade; and 9th grade through 12th grade. Each winner will receive a prize. The judges will be two professional artists and one community member — including a representative from StandUp HoCo, the local campaign to prevent bullying — who will use the criteria of adherence to the anti-bullying theme, as well as creativity and originality.

For more information on the art contest, please contact Melissa Capo at 410-715-3169 orMelissa.Capo@ColumbiaAssociation.org, or visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/KidSpace.

“CA stands with StandUp Hoco to end bullying,” said Capo. “The purpose of this contest is to bring schools and community together and to heighten awareness of bullying. We want students to feel empowered, find their voices and leave inspired to be a part of this movement.”

CA is a community partner of StandUp HoCo and has committed to help combat bullying. Along with promoting the campaign, CA provides training regarding bullying to staff members who are regularly in contact with youth, and it investigates reports of bullying and takes action when appropriate.

More information on StandUp HoCo is available at StandUpHoCo.org.

About Columbia Association

Columbia Association (CA) is a nonprofit service corporation that manages Columbia, MD, a planned community that is home to approximately 100,000 people and several thousand businesses. Additional information about CA is available at ColumbiaAssociation.org.