Hey, schoolkids, want to earn an easy grand? Put down your Game Boys or whatever it is you cretins do, grab a pencil and paper and draw a fish.
The deadline to enter the Texas State-Fish Art Contest is March 31, open to students in grades K-12 (public, private, or home schools).
Drawing a fish is only slightly more difficult than drawing the sun. Took me two seconds to draw that fish and sun you see on the left.
Ah, but there’s a catch (as there should be, seeing as how this is a fish contest). You’ve got to write an essay as well.
But how hard can that be? Fish swim, eat little pieces of floating crap, flap their gills, yadda yadda, you’re done. Maybe name your fish Crappie Kaddidlehopper and paint a little tophat on him (see above photo). Judges love creativity.
Anyway, if you can draw or paint any recognized state fish, write an essay without dropping the F-bomb or threatening the president, and fill out these entry forms and such, you can be rolling in greenbacks and buying more mutant sponge turtles or whatever it is you waste your money on.
Here are details provided by Texas Parks and Wildlife (if clicking on the link above is too much of a burden):
The Toyota Texas Bass Classic (TTBC) provides funds for prizes for first-, second- and third-place Texas winners in each of the four grade-level divisions. First place in grades 10–12 wins $1,000; second place $750; third place $500. Prizes in the K–3, 4–6 and 7–9 grade levels are $100 for first; $75 for second; $50 for third. Student art from the Texas contest is featured on TTBC tickets. Additional support for the Texas contest is provided by the William E. Armentrout Foundation, FishFlops™ and Friends of the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. The Texas State-Fish Art Contest is part of Wildlife Forever’s State-Fish Art Contest. The TTBC also provides a travel allowance for Texas first-place winners to attend the national awards ceremony, which will be held August 21—22, 2015, in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Wildlife Forever chooses one outstanding piece of artwork each year for the Art of Conservation Award, and a commemorative stamp featuring the artwork is produced for sale. Proceeds from sales of the stamp are used to fund conservation projects.
Learning how to fish is a great hobby that can serve you in many different ways. Bonding with family and friends in a new way, cutting costs for groceries, and spending time outdoors are all benefits of fishing