Creative Oklahoma Announces Youth Awards for Creative Ideas
Creative Oklahoma Announces Youth Awards for Creative Ideas
Oklahoma students in grades K-12 can win cash awards by submitting their ideas to improve Oklahoma’s school and community culture as part of 2015 Love’s Creative SPARKS! Awards program. This competition, a program of Creative Oklahoma, is open to all Oklahoma students K-12, including public, private, charter, and homeschool students.
Utilizing the 2015 Creativity World Forum theme, “All Our Futures: Ideas that Matter,” students are encouraged to think of innovative ideas to resolve some of the problems they see within their classrooms, schools and community environments. To complete the entry process, students must complete an application form and submit supporting documentation of their idea through video, digital images or creative writing.
“Oklahoma is an emerging state for creativity, and we are proud to partner with Love’s and The Oklahoman again this year to continue these important awards for Oklahoma students,” said Susan McCalmont, President of Creative Oklahoma. “Four cash prizes will be awarded to students and their schools in elementary, middle, and high school categories. Our goal is to provide support of our young residents’ ideas for positive change.”
In 2013, Mark Wendleboe from Oakdale Middle School won a Creative SPARKS! Award in the Middle School level for his idea of starting a student-led tutoring program. The program has been ongoing and has made a difference for the students who participate.
“When kids can take ownership in their learning and their school programs, it makes a difference,” said Mike Franz, principal of Oakdale Middle School. “Asking kids what they think is one thing, but following through and actually implementing their ideas is another. It shows them that if they plan, prepare and work hard, they won’t just be heard; they can make a difference.”
2013 Elementary School winners Channing Hill and Amy Meta from Clergen Elementary School were able to see their dream of a school-wide “Math Night” become a reality. The night includes math-based games and a Math Play put on by their second grade classmates.
“The benefits of this contest can be seen any day in our school since teachers have games and materials to use at any point,” said Diane Clark, enrichment teacher at Clergen Elementary. “Channing and Amy got other students involved in the process and I loved the message it sent to our school: the success of one or two people can make a huge difference in the lives of others.”
Winners and their teachers will be recognized at this year’s Creativity World Forum on Tuesday, March 31, at the Civic Center Music Hall in downtown Oklahoma City. For more information and to register for the forum, please visit http://register.wciconferences.org/ehome/index.php?eventid=107848&.
Teachers are also asked to participate in an educational program offered through the Oklahoman’s Newspapers-in-Education program, in conjunction with the Awards. Four weekly lessons will run February 4 through February 25, 2015 in The Oklahoman. This program is complimentary to schools.
More information about the Love’s Creative SPARKS! Awards is available online at https://creativeok.org/loves-creative-sparks/. Entry applications are due by Feb. 27, 2015, and may be submitted at http://nie.newsok.com/creative-sparks-2015/.