The 50 State Quarters Program of the U. S. Mint recently announced that Arkansas will now have the opportunity to design its state quarter. Through the program, the eagle emblem on the back of the quarter will be replaced with the designs representing each state. Governor Mike Huckabee is now accepting designs for the Arkansas state quarter. The overall statewide competition, which is entitled Arkansas Quarter Challenge, is open to all Arkansas residents.
In an effort to garner widespread participation, the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) would like to encourage all interested public school students to participate in this unique and historical competition. Artistic talent is not a prerequisite to submitting an entry in this competition. Participants can either submit an artistic rendering of the proposed design or submit a written description of the proposed design.
It is important to note that Governor Huckabee will select three to five designs to submit to the U. S. Mint by April 20, 2001. Engravers at the U. S. Mint will then refine the designs and determine the feasibility of placing each submission on the state's quarter. After this determination has been made, the U. S. Mint will then contact the Governor concerning the entries. The Arkansas coin will be minted in 2003. The top three finalists in the competition will be awarded $1,000 each.
This competition represents a chance for Arkansas public school students to experience history as it is happening. This event represents a tremendous interdisciplinary learning experience for students. Some suggestions for interested teachers include:
Art: Building-level art teachers might consider sponsoring grade-level competitions with their schools. Have local community patrons judge the winning entry for each grade level and submit those winning entries to the Governor's Office. This could also work for a district-wide competition, and have the top three entries submitted for consideration. Interested schools and/or districts may want to contact their community partners for possible winning prize donations.
Civics/Government: Teachers can design lessons to teach students about the various functions of the U. S. Treasury and/or the U. S. Mint. Teachers could also use this as a lesson on economics and banking. At the conclusion of the lesson, teachers could have students submit their design to the competition.
English/Language Arts: Since the competition is not limited to artistic drawings, teachers could have students write a description of their design for the quarter. Then have students read the descriptions and vote on one to submit for consideration.
History/Social Studies: Interested teachers may want to design a short unit on Arkansas history and have students draw or write their ideas for the state's quarter. To encourage local support, interested teachers may want to contact the local historical society or a historian to make presentations to the class. After the presentations, teachers can conduct a classroom competition for the design of the quarter, with the winning entry being submitted to the state competition.
These are just a few suggestions for teachers. This project lends itself to countless ways for being a learning experience for all students. The ADE would like to encourage teachers of the various disciplines to use this event as a chance to collaborate with one another, and pursue opportunities to enhance the learning experience for all students.
The following are the official guidelines for the Arkansas Quarter Challenge:
Designs may include state landmarks (natural and man-made), landscapes, historic buildings, symbols of state resources or industries, official flowers and trees, state images (such as a cactus for Arizona or a bronco for Wyoming), and state outlines.
The design should appeal to all citizens of the state.
Do not use state flags, state seals, and worlds or phrases in the design.
Do not include a head-and-shoulders portrait of any person, living or dead, or any portrait of a living person in the design.
Designs limited to one or two concepts, as opposed to multiple concepts, translate best.
Participants can submit a short paragraph that completely and effectively describes the participant's idea.
Student participation in this event is not limited to school-sponsored activities. Entry forms will be made available for each school through the Department's weekly mass mailing. Forms can be reproduced as needed. Entry forms will also be available at the state revenue offices in each county.
Participants must be an Arkansas resident to enter the Arkansas Quarter Challenge. All entries must be postmarked or received by Saturday, March 31, 2001. The art submitted to the contest is not returnable. Finalists will be required to sign a written release. The top 100 designs will be on display in the Capitol during early April. Entries can be mailed to:
Arkansas Quarter Challenge
Office of the Governor
Arkansas State Capitol, Suite 122
Little Rock, AR 72201
Participants can also e-mail their entry to quarter@mail.state.ar.us. For more information or more entry forms, interested citizens should call (501) 682-2345 or visit http://www.arkansasquarter.state.ar.us.