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The goal of this project is to highlight the hard work of North Carolina’s art teacher and classroom teachers that encourage art in their class and their students.

  • Six works of art will be selected as the winning entries by a PENC panel of judges.

  • The pieces will be duplicated and presented to each winning student's district for display, used on the PENC website, and may be used in future publications.

  • The six winning entrants will receive a small gift and a certificate of achievement from PENC.

  • The teachers will be presented with a certificate as well as a gift card to utilize for art supplies.

PENC is looking forward to seeing the wonderful work from all around our great state.The Young Artists Competition is open to all North Carolina Educators and from all disciplines.

Submission Guidelines

The work needs to be two-dimensional and created by students in North Carolina schools (including public, private, charter and magnet schools).  Home-school entries do not qualify for this competition.

​A teacher must enter the submission on behalf of the student electronically:

  • One entry per student.

  • Maximum of five entries per teacher.

  • All submissions must be entered here by clicking this link.

  • The e-mail submission MUST include:

    • A clear, non-blurry, digital photo of the work*​

      • Digital photos of the students artwork should be cropped so that no background or other images are present.​

    • The full name of the student, school, and grade level (Please check your county/school policy on student work being published).

    • Your name (teacher), title, telephone number, and e-mail address.

    • Your school name and address as well as the principal's name and email address.

  • All submissions must be received by 5:00 pm on June 15.

  • The selected winners' teachers will be notified by July 15th to obtain Release Forms.

  • The awards and certificates will be presented at the fall 2025 PENC Annual Meeting, with the date and location to be announced in the invitation. 

If you have any questions, please contact Tammy Beach, Executive Director, at artawards@pencweb.org or 919-788-9299.

The next year's window for submissions will open September 1st each year.

*PENC will need high-resolution images for the six winning entrants. When sending your submissions please be sure to have high-resolution images.

Elementary Division

2024 YAC WINNERS

ELLIS GIBSON
4th GRADE

North Buncombe ES - Buncombe
Art Instructor: Kourtney Yelton

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LANA BOWLES
3th GRADE

Reedy Creek ES - Wake
Art Instructor: Kim Atkins

Middle School Division

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SERENITY KE
7th GRADE

Northwest Middle - Winston-Salem/Forsyth

Art Instructor: Natasha Young

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JENA WALL
8th GRADE

Chicod School - Pitt

Art Instructor: Kathryn Bello

High School Division

HAYEON KIM
12th GRADE

Panther Creek HS - Wake
Art Instructor: Shellie Stanberry

Heron Pond Montessori - Dare
Art Instructor: Jackie Bellamy

KATHERINE BELLAMY
10th GRADE

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