The Collin County Historical Commission is sponsoring a number of student competitions for historical projects in video, art, poetry and essay writing. Check out the categories and requirements below, or download them here.

2022 Collin County Historical Commission"s

Student Art & Poetry Competition

When: Due Monday July 11, 2022

The Collin County Historical Commission is hosting an art and poetry competition for all K-12 students. We encourage all students to participate, including homeschoolers. Prizes will be offered to the best elementary, middle, and high school submissions. Winning submissions will be published in The Weston Post and will be shared widely by the CCHC. Submissions are due by midnight on July 11, 2022.

Topic: Create a piece of art or poetry celebrating an aspect of Collin County history.

Need some inspiration? Considering visiting one of the following museums:

• Collin County Farm Museum (McKinney)
• Collin County History Museum (McKinney)
• Allen Heritage Center and Village (Allen)
• Sherley Brothers Store (Anna), 972-924-3927
• Anna Depot and Museum (Anna)
• Frisco Heritage Museum for the Arts (Frisco)
• Heard-Craig Center (McKinney)
• Chestnut Square (McKinney)
• Heritage Farmstead Museum (Plano)
• Interurban Railway Museum (Plano)
• Military Heritage Collection of North Texas Museum (Nevada)
• Bain-Honeaker House Museum (Farmersville)
• Farmersville Historical Museum (Farmersville)

Visit https://www.collincountyhistory.com or research a notable local historical figure: James Webb Throckmorton, Carl Darnall, Audie Murphy, Kathryn "Katie" Heard Craig, Ray Roberts, Collin McKinney, Robert Cannon Horn, Augustus "Gus" Wilson, Joseph "J.B." Wilmeth, Henry Oliver Hedgcoxe, Sam Rayburn, Ebert Wiley "E.W." Kirpatrick, Sam Bass, Bess Heard, Ammie Wilson, Russell A. Steindam, Kiowa Chief Spotted Tail, John Abston, Raymond Hamilton, Ralph Fults

Art submissions: Your art can be any medium. When submitting your art, please scan or photograph your piece (multiple photos can be taken if your piece is 3-dimensional). Send your photos to [email protected]. With your email, please include your name, age, school, title of work, dimensions, medium used, and a paragraph describing your work. Submissions are due by midnight on July 11, 2022.

Poetry submission: Your poem may be no longer than 20 lines and be in any style except concrete (shape poems) or blackout poems (marker covering another author"s text to create a poem). Email your poem to [email protected]. With your email, please include your name, age, school, title of work, and a paragraph describing your poem. Submissions are due by midnight on July 11, 2022.

2022 Collin County Historical Commission"s

Student Video Competition

When: Monday, April 4, 2022

The Collin County Historical Commission is hosting a video competition for all K-12 students. We encourage all students to participate, including homeschoolers. Prizes will be offered to the best elementary, middle, and high school submissions. Winning submissions will be announced in The Weston Post and will be shared widely by the CCHC. Submissions are due by midnight on April 4, 2022.

Make a video, no longer than 3 minutes, on one of the following topics:

1. Create an advertisement for one of the following local history museums:
• Collin County Farm Museum (McKinney)
• Collin County History Museum (McKinney)
• Allen Heritage Center and Village (Allen)
• Sherley Brothers Store (Anna), 972-924-3927
• Anna Depot and Museum (Anna)
• Frisco Heritage Museum for the Arts (Frisco)
• Heard-Craig Center (McKinney)
• Chestnut Square (McKinney)
• Heritage Farmstead Museum (Plano)
• Interurban Railway Museum (Plano)
• Military Heritage Collection of North Texas Museum (Nevada)
• Bain-Honeaker House Museum (Farmersville)
• Farmersville Historical Museum (Farmersville)
2. Film a video highlighting the significance of one of the following notable local historical figures: James Webb Throckmorton, Carl Darnall, Audie Murphy, Kathryn "Katie" Heard Craig, Ray Roberts, Collin McKinney, Robert Cannon Horn, Augustus "Gus" Wilson, Joseph "J.B." Wilmeth, Henry Oliver Hedgcoxe, Sam Rayburn, Ebert Wiley "E.W." Kirpatrick, Sam Bass, Bess Heard, AmmieWilson, Russell A. Steindam, Kiowa Chief Spotted Tail, John Abston, Raymond Hamilton, Ralph Fults

Film submissions: Please upload your video to YouTube, tik tok, or another video platform. Send a link of your video to [email protected]. With your email, please include your name, age, school, and the title of your video.

2022 Collin County Historical Commission"s

Student Essay Competition

When: Due Monday, Oct. 10, 2022

The Collin County Historical Commission is hosting an essay competition for all K-12 students. We encourage all students to participate, including homeschoolers. Prizes will be offered to the best elementary, middle, and high school essays. Winning submissions will be published in The Weston Post and will be shared widely by the CCHC.

Along with using proper grammar and spelling, we encourage students to research and use evidence to support their thesis. Your essay needs to be a minimum of 500 words, double-spaced, and typed in Times New Roman font size 12.

Please include a title, a bibliography page, and list your name, age, grade, school, and contact phone/email. These items are not included in the word minimum for your essay. Submissions are due by midnight on Oct. 10, 2022.

Please email your submission to [email protected].

Please write an essay on one of the following topics:

1. Climate, geography, and natural resources play a large role in the development of a civilization. How did these factors help shape the history of Collin County?
2. Explain how Collin County history is significant to the history of the State of Texas, as a whole.
3. Collin County is experiencing major population growth as people relocate from other parts of the country and the world. Given this trend, do you think it is more important for students to study local, national, or world history? Explain.
4. Select a person who played a noteworthy role in Collin County history. Describe your historical figure and explain why he or she is significant. Consider writing about one of the following people: James Webb Throckmorton, Carl Darnall, Audie Murphy, Kathryn "Katie" Heard Craig, Ray Roberts, Collin McKinney, Robert Cannon Horn, Augustus "Gus" Wilson, Joseph "J.B." Wilmeth, Henry Oliver Hedgcoxe, Sam Rayburn, Ebert Wiley "E.W." Kirpatrick, Sam Bass, Bess Heard, AmmieWilson, Russell A. Steindam, Kiowa Chief Spotted Tail, John Abston, Raymond Hamilton, Ralph Fults.