Hey kids — how well do you wield a paint brush or crayon?

VFW Auxiliary #7383 of Cary has just announced the VFW Auxiliary’s annual Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest for local students in grades 9 through 12, offering the chance to compete for $21,000 in national scholarships.

The contest was begun in 1979 to recognize up-and-coming artists and encourage patriotism in youth. Approximately 3,500 students participate each year.

In addition to the national scholarships, local and state VFW Auxiliaries award more than $100,000 in Patriotic Art scholarships every year.

To enter, students should submit an original piece of artwork on paper or canvas, using watercolor, pencil, pastel, charcoal, tempra, crayon, acrylic, pen and ink, or oils.

The entry must have been created during the current 2016-2017 school year and include a teacher’s signature.

Competition starts at the local and district levels. The national first-place winner will be awarded a $10,000 scholarship and see his or her art featured on the cover of VFW Auxiliary Magazine and on the VFW Auxiliary national website.

All state winning entries will be displayed at the VFW Auxiliary National Convention.

The deadline for student entries is March 31. For full details, parents and teachers may contact Laura Verdon or Amy Johnson at (919) 880-1527 or verd9140@att.net.

To download an application and see the 2016 winners, visit vfwauxiliary.org/scholarships/young-american-creative-patriotic-art-contest.

The VFW Auxiliary, or Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, is one of the nation’s oldest veterans’ service organizations. Its members are the relatives of those who have served in overseas combat. Learn more at vfwauxiliary.org.