BY DEBBIE PAGE
Next year will be a year-long commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and Iredell County’s America 250 education committee is dedicated to bringing history alive to Iredell County students.
America 250 Iredell is holding art, essay, and multimedia/video contests for Iredell-Statesville Schools students in grades 7-12 and those who live in the I-SS district area who attend private, home, or charter schools. The contest focuses on the importance of American history and its role in Iredell County’s experiences.
The Iredell Community Remembrance Project is sponsoring the $500 first prize and $250 second prize in each contest category. A panel of community judges, using a rubric provided to contestants after contest registration, will determine the winners in each category, with prizes awarded at a recognition ceremony.
To enter, students must complete an online application to enter one of the three contests at (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uK8so8c4NJQ_OAqYcAOxn3qAmKWKlGkSWNVLkqnPsLQ) by December 30.
The student’s contest product, which must follow all contest criteria, must be completed and turned in by May 23.
ART CONTEST
Contestants must complete the contest application, choose one of the assigned three topics points, and create a physical work of art (painting, sculpture, drawing, physical photo display) that explores the topic.
Topics:
Topic 1: Research and find facts about James Iredell, for whom Iredell County is named. Create an artwork that represents him and his impact, both locally and at the state level. Ensure that the artwork includes James Iredell and at least one of the NC 250 themes (see the NC 250 planning guide at https://www.dncr.nc.gov/america-250-nc-planning-guide/open).
Topic 2: Research and find out what historical and current immigrants or non-native people live, reside, or have resided in the Statesville/Iredell County area. Create an artwork design featuring these residents alongside the results of their influence, impact, and how they represent one or more of the NC 250 themes.
Topic 3: Research, study, visit, and interview one of the historical African-American churches in Statesville/Iredell County area. From research findings, create an artwork depicting the church, its historical significance, and how it reflects one or more of the NC 250 themes.
Art Guidelines:
Medium: Must be a painting, a drawing, a camera display of pictures in a frame, or a sculpture.
Size and Format: All artwork must be easily carried and moved for display by hand without the necessity of wheels or a cart for transporting.
Originality: The submitted artwork must be original and not infringe on a copyright.
Deadline: The artwork is due by May 23, 2026.
No multiple submissions; only one art feature is allowed to be entered into the contest.
Include a brief description of the artwork, detailing the choice of image or art submitted and how it represents one of the themes from NC 250.
Please turn in the artwork with the contestant’s name, mailing address, and phone contact to the Iredell County Public Library, 321 North Tradd Street, Statesville, NC 28625.
The Artwork may be on display during the NC 250 Celebration year in the Statesville City/Iredell County areas. At the end of this celebration year, the artwork can be retrieved from the Iredell County Public Library.
Art Rubric Focus Areas:
Relevance to the theme – The connection and significance of the topic are evident, as the artwork is a replica of the theme and embodies an NC 250 theme. How well the artwork conveys or interprets the contest’s theme.
Originality – uniqueness, novelty, and authenticity of ideas.
Technical Skill: The artist’s proficiency in their chosen medium.
Composition and Design: The overall visual appeal and arrangement of elements within the artwork.
Color and Tone: The effective use of color and light to create mood and impact.
Disqualification will occur if the artwork is a replica of another artwork. (Plagiarism)
ESSAY CONTEST
After completing the contest application, essay contestants must choose one of the two topics and write a 500 to 1,000 word essay with source citations and a works cited page that follows the submission guidelines.
Topics:
Topic 1: Research and visit a historical landmark, museum, or area located in Iredell County. Write an essay on the research findings and visit to this area. Include in the essay how the historical landmark represents one of the NC 250 themes (see the NC 250 planning guide at https://www.dncr.nc.gov/america-250-nc-planning-guide/open). Additionally, describe how this historical landmark developed the concept of democracy over time.
Topic 2: “Lynchings in America were not isolated hate crimes committed by rogue vigilantes. Lynchings were targeted racial violence perpetrated to uphold an unjust social order.” Three documented lynchings occurred in Iredell County, as reported by the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), a human rights organization in Montgomery, Alabama.
Research the lynching of Charles Campbell on Oct. 16, 1883. Tell the story of this lynching and the details that surrounded it, and what happened as a result. Identify and discuss the landmark area where this lynching occurred.
Discuss the EJI initiative and how this organization carries the stories of the struggle, creation, and connection to create “Common Ground,” one of the NC 250 themes. How can citizens of Iredell County create common ground in sharing this lynching story to build relationships, heal broken hearts, reconcile, and foster harmonious coexistence in the community?
Guidelines:
Choose only one essay topic.
The essay must include: a beginning header page with the essay title, the focus theme in parentheses underneath, the contestant’s first and last name, and the date.
The essay must be 500-1,000 typed (two to four pages doubled-spaced).
Include a works cited page at the end of the paper (follow MLA or APA style for citing resources).
No pictures, diagrams, or graphs are to be included, only words.
Document all research resources used and follow the correct guidelines for quoting and using information in the essay. (All essays will be checked for plagiarism using AI).
Final copy is due by May 23, 2026.
Email the final copy of the essay to marlene_scott@iss.k12.nc.us or mail a copy to Iredell-Statesville Essay Contest, c/o Marlene Scott, P.O. Box 911, Statesville, NC 28687.
Essay Rubric Focus Areas:
Relevance to the theme – connection, significance of the issue being discussed.
Comprehensiveness – complete and detailed exposition of the topic.
Originality – uniqueness, novelty, and authenticity of ideas.
Insights – a fresh way of looking at things, a critical view of the subject.
Essay Writing Tips:
Rule 1: Answer the question asked.
Rule 2: Write answer in own words.
Rule 3: Think about the content of essay, being sure to demonstrate good social science skills.
Rule 4: Think about the structure of the essay, being sure to demonstrate good writing skills and observe any word limit.
MULTIMEDIA/VIDEO CONTEST
Multimedia projects integrate various forms of media, such as text, images, audio, video, and interactive elements, to create engaging viewing and learning experiences. These projects explore topics more deeply by combining different mediums that appeal to enhance topic understanding.
After completing the contest application, students will create a 5 to 7 minute multimedia project or video on the assigned topic.
Topic:
“Lynchings in America were not isolated hate crimes committed by rogue vigilantes. Lynchings were targeted racial violence perpetrated to uphold an unjust social order.” Three documented lynchings occurred in Iredell County, as reported by Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), a human rights organization in Montgomery, Alabama.
Research the lynching of Charles Campbell on Oct. 16, 1883. Tell the story of this lynching and the details that surrounded it, and what happened as a result. Identify and show the landmark area where this lynching occurred.
Discuss the EJI initiative and how this organization carries the stories of the struggle, creation, and connection to create “Common Ground,” one of the NC 250 themes. How can citizens of Iredell County create common ground in sharing this lynching story to build relationships, heal broken hearts, reconcile, and foster harmonious coexistence in the community?
Guidelines:
The multimedia presentation must include an introduction/title that shows the title of the presentation and focus theme.
The second page/title should display the contestant’s first and last name as well as the date.
The multimedia presentation must be 5 to 7 minutes long.
Pictures, diagrams, graphs, or interview quotes or statements from resources can be included but must be referenced the end of the presentation on a Works Cited page/title using MLA Style (https://www.citationmachine.net/mla).
If you utilize or embed another video or video source, the clip may be no longer than 30 seconds.
Document all research resources used and follow the correct guidelines for quoting and using information in the multimedia presentation. (All multimedia/video projects will be checked for plagiarism using AI).
The multimedia project must be viewable using QuickTime Player.
The final multimedia presentation/video is due by May 23, 2026. Email the final copy of the multimedia presentation to marlene_scott@iss.k12.nc.us.
Judging Using Multimedia Rubric:
Projects will be judged on:
Content
Visual Elements and Multimedia Editing
Audio Elements and Editing
Creativity
Choice of Multimedia Product and Overall Presentation
References to Assist Your Research
https://eji.org/reports/lynching-in-america/
Mr. Frank Johnson, Iredell Community Remembrance Project Committee Member, temperature@msn.com
Mr. Steve Hill, Statesville Historical Collection Museum steve@statesvillehistory.com
Mr. Joel Reese, Iredell County Public Library jreese@iredellcountync.gov
https://iredellcommunityremembranceproject.org/
ABOUT AMERICA 250/AMERICA 250 NC
On July 4, 2026, America will commemorate and celebrate 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the development of a new nation dedicated to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
This opportunity to reflect on the nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future is being led by the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission and its supporting America250 organization, with the goal being to engage all 350 million Americans in this celebration by the nation’s 250th anniversary.
America250 is a multi-year effort, from now through July 4, 2026, that presents an opportunity to pause and reflect on America’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future for the next generation and beyond.
Former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama and Former First Ladies Laura Bush and Michelle Obama serve as Honorary National Co-Chairs. The effort is supported by a bipartisan Congressional Caucus of more than 300 members, the largest caucus in U.S. history.
America 250 NC (https://www.america250.nc.gov/)
North Carolina’s effort in the 250th commemoration, wants to lift North Carolina voices past and current to present a complete narrative of the state’s role in America’s history.
Activities will include educational outreach, online resources related to NC’s Revolutionary history, exhibits across the state, and a wide variety of commemorative events. The commemoration’s goal is to empower North Carolinians to engage with 250 years of the state’s rich, diverse history.
This commemoration offers a unique opportunity to reflect upon America’s founding ideals and their impact in NC over the last 250 years and their resonance today.
The state is encouraging individual counties to explore pivotal events, places, and voices, both historical and modern, that have shaped both NC and the USA, ranging from the Halifax Resolves to the civil rights movement to current issues.
IREDELL NC 250
Each county in the State of North Carolina is allowed one official committee to create events and establish guidelines for each county will celebrate America 250 next year.
Representatives on these county committees include people from a wide variety of organizations.
The Iredell County Committee is broken down into four subcommittees: Marketing & Tourism, Literary, Preservation, and Education.
The public is invited to participate in the planning of Iredell County America 250 NC by joining one of these subcommittees at https://iredell-lib-nc.libwizard.com/id/510e5d2c611841a3b3cb9782be803e35.
Iredell County has also received a $10,000 county committee grant from North Carolina’s America 250 NC initiative for a project to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary.
LEARN MORE
To learn more about Iredell NC 250, visit https://www.iredellnc250.com/ and https://www.iredell.lib.nc.us/528/America-250.
Juli Moore, Library Director and Iredell County America 250 NC Committee Chair, can be contacted at julianne.moore@iredellcountync.gov or or at 704-878-3092.