Elizabeth Gibson, a student at Creedmoor Elementary School in Granville County, N.C., saw her colorful depiction of her county’s historic courthouse featured on the cover of the 2022 NACo calendar. Built in 1838, the brick Greek Revival-style courthouse includes a cupola on top of a domed room.

Elizabeth and more than 150 students across the country entered their artwork last year in NACo’s inaugural Student Art Competition. NACo started the contest to help young people learn more about the functions of county government.

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Entries are now being accepted for the 2022 NACo Student Art Competition. Click here for more information

“When students see an ambulance or sheriff’s department car or they encounter someone from the school — all of those are part of county services,” said Granville County Commissioner Russ May, whose district includes Elizabeth’s elementary school.  

“So it’s important for students to understand where their Mom and Dad’s tax dollars are going and how those tax dollars support their daily activities,” May said.

Elizabeth depicted a scene of the Granville County courthouse writing, “I love my county because of the beautiful architecture” across the dome in her artwork.

May said Elizabeth, who he met along with her parents at a recognition ceremony held in the fall, “loves architecture.”

“Anytime you challenge a student with a project like this,” he noted, “those students who are really curious and want to learn more will explore and look into it and try to define for themselves what that means.”

Creating artwork about counties can also “foster conversations between them and their parents,” he said. “And through those conversations, they kind of can understand what the county does for them.”

And who knows? Some of these students might end up working for a county someday. “Early learning spawns curiosity, and curiosity may lead to future service in the county,” May said.

Art teacher Leslie Nunnery of Creedmoor Elementary helped her students enter NACo’s competition. May said he wasn’t surprised at the level of participation by students in his county.

“Our county government does a very good job of letting people know about various services,” he said. “We use social media and print media to get the word out. It’s a very close-knit community and engaged.”

In addition to recognition from the county board, Elizabeth and fellow students from the county who were also winners were recognized by the county’s Board of Education.

“When a child’s lightbulb comes on and they’re really engaged in something,” May said, “what we don’t want to do is put a shade on it — we want to make sure the shade is removed and it’s illuminated, so they can take that experience and grow further.”

Students across the country can enter the 2022 art competition by visiting naco.org/art for all the details.