Students win money while coloring with chalk
Saturday, July 10, 2010 at 2:09PM By Jessica Pickens
Chalk.
College students may only get to see it when professors write with it. Now students have a chance to relive childhood memories in a sidewalk chalk drawing contest, sponsored by TRiO.
TRiO’s fundraiser coordinator Aaron Sims was looking for a creative way to raise money for TRiO, Winthrop’s academic support program, when he came up with the idea of a sidewalk chalk drawing competition.
“I wanted to figure out a fundraiser that was different and could be done outside instead of the stereotypical fundraiser,” said Sims, a freshman biology major.
Students can pay $5 for individuals and $10 for organizations to compete for the best sidewalk chalk drawings. Chalk is provided. The topic of the competition is school spirit.
TRiO is looking for creativity and for students to think outside the box. Students should have well-known campus icons in their drawings, as well as include their organizations’ logo within the art, Sims said.
“It was something new and different,” said president of TRiO leadership Ashley Whitfield. “I know there are a lot of creative people who go to Winthrop, and, most of all, the competition sounded like it would be a lot of fun.”
The TRiO leadership council is a new organization on Winthrop’s campus, and the sidewalk chalk drawing competition is one of its first fundraisers it is holding, said Whitfield, junior business administration major.
“The money we raise will go toward TRiO and events that we plan in the future and hopefully to help out with more fundraisers,” she said. “After we really get the council going and we get more money raised, we want to start donating part of our money to a local charity.”
The money students and organizations pay will also go toward the prizes for the best sidewalk chalk artwork. First place winners will receive $25, second place will receive $20 and third place will receive $10.
“I am hoping it won’t rain,” Sims said. “I’m keeping my fingers crossed.”
The judge panel will be the TRiO leadership organization. Organizations and individuals can sign up to compete until Thursday, March 4, in the TRiO leadership office in Crawford suite 6.
The chalk drawing competition will be from 12 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 6, on the sidewalk in front of Byrnes Auditorium.
