First lady Ann LePage and the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy's “Maine is ME Student Art Challenge” will call for Maine students in grades K-8 to submit original works of art depicting what living in Maine means to them.

Artwork may be inspired by a wide range of images from favorite Maine places, outdoor activities, foods and state symbols, as well as families having fun together.

Selected artwork will be featured in the first lady’s upcoming new family-friendly “Love, Read, Learn! Baby Journal.” The journal is a scrapbook-style booklet to promote literacy and health to families of newborn babies in Maine. The baby journal will be provided at no cost to parents of newborns in 2012-2013.

“This baby journal will be given as a keepsake gift to Maine moms and dads to help them become the first and best teachers to their child,” LePage page. 

“We are incredibly excited to be partnering with first lady LePage and the talented students of Maine to create a beautifully illustrated baby journals for families across the state,” Barbara Bush said. “We know reading benefits a child in so many ways – from language comprehension and vocabulary development to heightened creativity and family bonding.”

All selected artists must be Maine students (grades K-8) during the 2012-2013 school year, and be a legal resident of Maine at the time of his/her application. 

Entries must be postmarked by Oct. 30 and the winners are expected to be notified during the week of Nov. 12. Entries can be sent to the Blaine House, Maine is ME Art Challenge, c/o Paula Benoit, 192 State St., Augusta, ME 04330. 

Students must return the student-parents forms with their artwork. Art Challenge guidelines and parent consent forms are available at www.maine.gov/governor/lepage/family/first_lady.shtml as well as www.BarbaraBushFoundation.com.