The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and The Dee\nHoward Foundation (DHF) are joining with local, state, and national partners to\nestablish the Dee Howard Foundation\/UTSA Pre-K thru 12 Aviation and Aerospace\nArt Contest. In celebration of the NASA MARS 2020 Mission Perseverance Rover,\nthe theme of the inaugural contest for the 2020-2021 academic year is \u201cMission\nto Mars.\u201d Launched the week of September 7, the contest is open to all Pre-K\nthrough 12 students in Bexar, Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall,\nMedina and Wilson counties in Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is important that we not only encourage interest in\naviation, aerospace and engineering, but that we support the art and creativity\nthat go hand-in-hand with engaging future leaders in the field,\u201d Wayne Fagan,\nchair of The Dee Howard Foundation said. \u201cWith this donation, the Wayne and\nJulie Fagan Family Foundation is committed to supporting the success of\nstudents and their schools.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As an added highlight, students will be \u201clead\u201d on their\nMission to Mars by Honorary Mission Commander Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr.. A\nveteran astronaut, Harris has logged more than 438 hours and traveled over 7.2\nmillion miles in space. He was the first African-American to complete a\nspacewalk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are honored to have Dr. Harris as our Honorary Mission\nCommander,\u201d Fagan said. \u201cTogether with Dr. Harris and our cooperating partners,\nwe have a comprehensive, enthusiastic and experienced team of experts to lead\nour Mission to Mars.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The contest invites all students Pre-K through 12 including\nISDs, charter schools, private schools, schools on military bases, and home\nschools to use their creativity to envision what a human settlement on Mars\nwould look like to them. Deadline for submission of all artwork is December 18,\n2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prizes will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd, place\nwinners of four categories to include: Pre-K \u2013 2nd grade; 3rd \u2013 5th grades; 6th\n\u2013 8th grades; and 9th \u2013 12th grades, with certificates of participation awarded\nto all entries. In addition to prizes, The Wayne and Julie Fagan Family\nFoundation has awarded a grant of $4,000 to The Dee Howard Foundation\/UTSA\nPre-K thru 12 Aviation and Aerospace Art Contest to be used to help support\nPre-K through 12 fine arts programs. All schools that participate in the\nDHF\/UTSA Art Contest will be eligible to be considered for a grant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are excited to partner with The Dee Howard Foundation\nand other organizations for this unique art contest,\u201d JoAnn Browning, dean of\nthe UTSA College of Engineering said. \u201cOur hope is to engage students about\naerospace and engineering in a fun and creative way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cooperating organizations of the contest include: The City\nof San Antonio Aviation Department, Port San Antonio, The Doseum, Communities\nin Schools of San Antonio, San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology\n(SAMSAT), Women in Aviation Alamo City Chapter, San Antonio Chapter-Tuskegee\nAirman, Inc., Scobee Education Center, Girls Inc., Organization of Black\nAerospace Professionals, Pre-K 4 SA, United States Air Force and the WEX\nFoundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n