This year, Zephyr Elementary school participated in the annual flag design contest sponsored by Council for Art Education, the national directors of Youth Art Month, which is celebrated each March.

Charles “C.J.” Matz, art teacher at Zephyr Elementary, said he believes this is the first year the district has participated in the contest. All teachers who are members of the Pennsylvania Art Education Association can have students enter the contest, and one design per age group from each district may be submitted for judging at the state level.

Every state holds its own flag design contest, and in Pennsylvania, the PAEA has an independent panel of teachers judge submissions. PAEA chooses a winner from the high school, middle school and elementary school divisions, as well as an advocacy flag division, which promotes the arts in Pennsylvania during Youth Art Month. One winner in each category is selected to represent Pennsylvania at the National Art Education Association Convention.

This year’s theme was “Art connects us.”

The conference ran March 4-6 and was virtual this year. The winning state flags, along with other artwork, are viewable online at paeablog.org/opportunities-for-students/youth-art-month.

Jade Snyder, a fifth-grader at Zephyr, had her flag design chosen to represent Whitehall-Coplay School District in the elementary age group. Her flag, with a purple background, has hands of different skin colors coming together to surround a heart in the center that says, “Art connects us,” along with the keystone symbol for Pennsylvania.

“A small committee of teachers at Zephyr assisted with the jurying. We used a series of assessments to determine which flag best conveyed Youth Art Month’s theme and looked at overall craftsmanship and design,” Matz said.

Snyder’s flag went on to be judged by PAEA. Her artwork was selected as the winner of the elementary division for Pennsylvania.

“Each state has a design that is displayed at the National Art Education Association’s annual conference as a way to recognize that each state is part of the puzzle that constitutes the national organization,” Matz said. “It serves as a way to recognize the hard work by our students and continued advocacy efforts in every corner of the nation.”

Matz said Snyder was excited when she found out her flag was the winner for Zephyr and would continue on to be judged by PAEA. He said her parents were “thrilled and were very supportive” when he called to get permission to submit her work to PAEA.

Snyder was given a variety of art supplies as her prize from WCSD.

According to Matz, when he read the email stating Snyder’s flag was the chosen elementary division winner for Pennsylvania, he couldn’t stop smiling.

“I immediately called her parents and left a voicemail, and then I called Jade’s teacher, Mrs. Mensher, to let her know. Jade worked so hard on this design, so it was wonderful for her to get recognized for her efforts,” Matz said.

Matz said he hopes to keep entering students in the contest every year.