RMLD Announces Details Of 6th Annual High School Art Contest

READING, MA — Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) is inviting students from the communities it serves to participate in its sixth annual High School Art Contest.

The theme of this year's contest is "trail blazing," and students from Reading, Wilmington, North Reading and the areas of Lynnfield are eligible to take part.

Any two-dimensional art medium will be accepted, including but not limited to drawings, paintings, sketches, photography and graphic art, organizers said. All artwork must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on March 31.

According to organizers, up to five winners will be selected based on the number of submissions received and the content of the artwork. Winners will receive a gift card for school supplies or art supplies, with a top prize of $100.

Each student who submits artwork will receive a certificate for 10 hours of community service, RMLD said.

In a video explaining the assignment, which RMLD has asked all participants to watch, the company offers its definition of the term trail blazer: "To make a trail where there wasn't one. To be the first to do something which allows others to follow and build on that progress."

The company goes on to say that "trail blazers establish a vision, take action, reflect on the hard questions and persist until they've achieved their end-goal."

In the video, RMLD explains that electricity usage will continue to substantially increase and that providers around the country must identify unique ways to support increasing load requirements while moving toward a cleaner future.

RMLD said it continues to look for innovative solutions for three renewable energy questions: How do we get electricity? How do we store electricity? How should we use the electricity?

The company then highlights a few of its current initiatives like: its battery energy storage system, its electric energy incentive program and the Maple Meadows Solar Project.

Finally, the company asks students to submit artwork that "visually portray(s) the concept of trail blazing and incorporate(s) RMLD and/or electricity."

RMLD said the artwork must be two dimensional and include at least three colors. Students also are expected to include a title for their submission and a few sentences explaining their artwork.

The official rules for the contest, including details about how to submit artwork, are available on the RMLD website.

Student artwork can be mailed or dropped off at RMLD headquarters, located at 230 Ash Street, Reading, MA, 01867.

Electronic art must be submitted in a JPEG or PNG format via email to jblackleyy@rmld.com.