24 Choose Iowa Coloring Calendar Contest Winners Honored at Iowa State Fair
Secretary Naig recognizes creative student artists showcasing Iowa agriculture
DES MOINES, Iowa (Aug. 17, 2021) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig presented awards to the winners of the 2020 and 2021 Choose Iowa Coloring Calendar contest during a ceremony at the 2021 Iowa State Fair. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship received an abundance of submissions from K-12 students statewide over the past two years and narrowed it down to 12 student artists for the September 2020-August 2021 calendar and 12 students for the September 2021-August 2022 issue.
“I’m excited to welcome our Choose Iowa coloring contest winners back to the State Fair this year. It is fun to share in their excitement as their names are called and they are recognized on stage in the Agriculture Building,” said Secretary Naig. “I hope that by participating in this coloring contest, these kids learned more about the agriculture community, gained a better understanding of how agriculture touches most aspects of our lives, and gets them thinking about pursuing a career in agriculture someday.”
The 2020 winners, listed alphabetically by last name, include:
- Emma Burzlaff, Maquoketa
- Brynlee Carney, Centerville
- Natalie Hughes, Ottumwa
- Brianna Long, Numa
- Abraham Manley, Colfax
- Bryn Petersen, Dike
- Regan Richards, Ames
- Taylor Rodeffer, Ottumwa
- Ellie Scheidel, Ankeny
- Gavin Sieren, Keota
- Joe Stien, Watkins
- Leo Wells, Cincinnati
The 2021 winners, listed alphabetically by last name, include:
- Max Beck, Belle Plaine
- Taya Belloma, Centerville
- Aubrey Dowling, Missouri Valley
- Hattie Funk, Anamosa
- Summit Halvorsen, Centerville
- Keelan Hoey, Belle Plaine
- Chloe Hoffman, Indianola
- Darris Lee, Jr., Belle Plaine
- Makenna Oliver, Centerville
- Elijah Schuster, Shenandoah
- Josh Schuster, Shenandoah
- Miraylie Stuart, Walnut
Photos of the winners receiving their awards are available at flickr.com/photos/iowaagriculture/albums.
The 2020 calendar was distributed and used during the past year. The 2021 issue will be given to fairgoers at the Choose Iowa booth in the Agriculture Building and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship booth in the Varied Industries Building.
Students who are 18-years-old or younger are invited to submit a drawing for the September 2022-August 2023 Choose Iowa Coloring Calendar. Pictures should be drawn in a horizontal orientation using only black lines on plain white, 8.5 by 11-inch paper. The pictures should not be colored in.
Artwork may be submitted electronically to media@iowaagriculture.gov or mailed to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Choose Iowa Coloring Calendar, 502 E. 9th St., Des Moines, IA 50319. Each submission should include the artist’s name, age, grade, school, address and hometown, along with a guardian’s email and phone number.
About Choose Iowa
Led by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, the Choose Iowa program creates support for farmers, drives demand for the products they produce and generates excitement about agricultural innovation happening around the state. Agriculture is a part of our state’s history, and Iowans are developing new technologies that will guide us into the future.
Iowa leads the nation in corn, pork, egg and renewable fuel production. You can support local producers and growers by choosing Iowa meat, dairy and produce at farmers markets, grocery stores and restaurants around the state. Learn more at ChooseIowa.com.