Students in grades 6-12 are encouraged to get their creative juices flowing and enter the Holocaust Museum and Learning Center’s Seventh Annual Art & Writing Contest. Students can enter artwork, writing and film. The deadline for entries is by 3 p.m., Friday, April 23 – no postmarks accepted. The competition, which is dedicated to the memory of the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust, is sponsored by Dr. Ira and Judy Gall in honor of their grandchildren. There will be two divisions for both art and writing categories — Division 1: 6-8th grade; Division 2: 9-12th grade.

Topics may include:

* Acts of courage and heroism

* Resistance and rescue

* Consequences of indifference

* Persecution, intolerance and injustice

* Preserving humanity in situations of great adversity

* History and lessons of the Holocaust

Each student may submit only one writing and one art entry.

* The Writing Contest: This contest welcomes poems, newspaper articles, stories, plays /dialogues or essays. Entries may not exceed 1,000 words, must be double-spaced and typed on one side of the paper. Please use paper clips — no staples. Three copies must be submitted. The judges will evaluate the entry on content, originality and quality of expression and accuracy.

* The Art Competition: This includes sculptures, drawings, photographs, paintings, posters, a collage or five-minute videos or DVDs. All charcoal, chalk and pastels must be treated with fixatives. The work must represent the independent effort of the student. It may not exceed the dimensions of 20″x 20″ inches. A sculpture entry may not exceed 18″ x 18″ x 18″. The work will be judged for creativity, excellence and content.

Entries will be disqualified for plagiarism, not following the guidelines or submitting it after the 3 p.m. Friday, April 23 deadline. Winners will be notified by Friday, May 7. First, second and third place winners will be chosen in both Writing and Art Categories in each division.

The prizes will be: First place — $300 and a certificate; Second place — $200 and a certificate; Third place — $100 and a certificate, and Honorable Mentions — $25 and a certificate. Entries may be dropped off 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday or mailed to: St. Louis Holocaust Museum and Learning Center, 12 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, Mo. 63146.

All entries remain the property of the Museum and will not be returned. By participating, the Museum has permission to publish winning entries in brochures, flyers, other Museum publications and exhibitions. Photo reproductions of winning entries may also be made available to the news media. Winning entries will be displayed at the Holocaust Museum, on the community website, www.jewishinstlouis.org and at other St. Louis area locations.

For entry forms and complete information, visit www.hmlc.org or call 314-442-3714.