Voting is now open in UScellular’s fifth annual Black History Month Art Contest with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley.
Community members can vote for their favorite piece of original art online at newsroom.uscellular.com/black-history-month-art-contest/.
The top three vote-getters will be announced Thursday, Feb. 22, at 5:30 p.m. at the Davenport Club. Prizes include gift cards in these amounts:
- $250 for first place
- $150 for second place
- $100 for third place
Boys & Girls Club members created original pieces of artwork that represent influential Black STEM icons. These included historical figures, world leaders, scientists and educators who have made vital contributions to the world of science, technology, engineering and math.
The finalists’ range from 7 to 12 years old. Their submitted portraits feature: Stephon Alexander, Sarah E. Goode, Percy Julian, Jerry Lawson, Marie Maynard Daly, Bruce Ovbiagele and George Washington Carver.
New to the 2024 contest, the top three first-place submissions with the most votes also will be named national winners and receive an additional $250 to bring their total winnings to $500. Their home Club also earns a $1,500 donation.
The finalists were selected by Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley representatives and local UScellular leaders based on creativity, quality, interpretation, clarity of theme and overall impression.
Voting remains open until Thursday, Feb. 15. Anyone 18 or older can vote for their favorite artwork.
The finalists’ artwork is digitally displayed at three UScellular Quad Cities locations – 351 W. Kimberly Road and 2910 E. 53rd St., both in Davenport, and 3919 38th St., Moline.
Last year’s winners included Laila Newman, 12; Michael Oliver, 7; and Gloria Fagla, 8.
