The Mesa Historic Preservation Board is sponsoring a Historical Essay and Visual Arts Contest to encourage young students to learn more about their City's past. The historical essay competition is open to all fourth through twelfth graders regardless of whether they attend public, private, charter or home school. There is also a visual arts contest for all kindergarten through twelfth graders living in Mesa. Both entries allow students to learn more about Mesa's history while practicing their writing or visual skills as they create a story around a historic event in the City. Registration is open until March 15.
The writing contest requires a historical essay or fictional story on the following three topics:
Historic athletes in Mesa
Places I would like to see in Mesa 50 years from now
What I would put in a time capsule from Mesa
The visual arts contest allows students to practice their skills in video production, sketching, painting or building a 3D model on:
What makes Mesa important to you?
A historic building or sign in Mesa
A historic person/people of Mesa
Each entry must reflect the student's research, original thinking and writing or visual skills. Entry forms and essays or videos can be sent to historicpreservation@mesaaz.gov. Participants in the visual arts contest should deliver their projects to the Historic Preservation Office, 55 N. Center St., to the attention of Dawn Dallman. Essay or visual arts projects and entry forms can also be mailed to:
City of Mesa Historic Preservation Office
Attn: Dawn Dallman
City of Mesa
P.O. Box 1466
Mesa, AZ 85211-1466
Entries MUST be postmarked on or before the contest due date of March 15, 2024. Once submitted, projects become property of the Mesa Historic Preservation Board and will not be returned.
The essay and visual arts contests will be judged and awarded separately. Awards will be given to students and teachers in each category based on grade (K-3, 4-6 and 7-12). Every contestant will receive a certificate of participation.
There will be cash awards given to the first ($100), second ($50) and third ($25) place contest winners in each category to both the students and teachers. Mesa City Council will recognize the top three essay writers and visual arts creators in each category during Historic Preservation Month in May. The Historic Preservation Office's webpage has more information and the entry form.
For more information about Mesa's Historic Preservation Office, contact Kellie Rorex at 480-644-6711 or kellie.rorex@mesaaz.gov.