The above poster was the grand prize winner for the 2018 MAR Fair Housing Calendar, which was distributed statewide. The poster was designed by Lindsay Birkhead-Morton of Snow Hill Middle School.
Berlin, Md. – The Coastal Association of REALTORS® (CAR) is encouraging local teachers and students to participate in the annual Fair Housing Art Contest, which sends winning students to Annapolis for a meeting with the governor or other state official.
Sponsored by the Maryland REALTORS®, the contest is a means for REALTORS® across the state to help increase awareness of this important issue. “Fair housing” pertains to the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in the sale and rental of housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or handicap. The contest aims to teach children that discrimination is not only wrong, but illegal.
The format of the Fair Housing contest has changed, in that winning submissions will be displayed in an informational fair housing brochure that will be distributed statewide to public libraries, housing counseling agencies, and local REALTOR® associations. The winning submissions were traditionally displayed in a calendar. Also, the contest is now open to students in kindergarten through 12th grade, and older students are permitted, and encouraged, to utilize computer graphic design programs such as Photoshop or Publisher.
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Artwork submitted by students must illustrate this year’s contest theme, “Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act.” CAR will choose three local winners. These winners will receive Visa gift cards, courtesy of CAR. Their entries will be forwarded to Maryland REALTORS®, who will choose nine submissions from across the state for inclusion in the Fair Housing brochure. The state winners will travel to Annapolis, where they will be honored.
Contest packets have been mailed to the principals and art departments of public and private schools in Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties. Home schools, aftercare programs, churches and other children’s centers are encouraged to participate. For a contest packet, contact Sarah Rayne, Government and Public Affairs Director for CAR, at 410-641-4409 or sarah@coastalrealtors.org. Deadline for submissions is Friday, February 16, 2018.
Last year’s top local winner, whose entry is featured in the 2017 Fair Housing Calendar, was Lindsay Birkhead-Morton. Birkhead-Morton traveled to Annapolis in April for a recognition ceremony at the Maryland State House where she received a certificate and gift card from Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford.
Last year’s other local finalists were Tashira Ballard of Greenwood Elementary School and Lyric Campbell of North Salisbury Elementary School.
More about Coastal Association of REALTORS®
Coastal Association of REALTORS® is the leading local advocacy group in the real estate industry on the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland. Coastal REALTORS® works in partnership with its members to promote home ownership and preserve, protect, and advocate private property rights. The organization supports 1,000 REALTORS® who serve Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties.
For more information on Coastal REALTORS®, visit www.coastalrealtors.org. The term REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark unique to real estate professionals who are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics.
