Editor's note: News Molecules are designed to give readers occasional tidbits of information about the N.C. Research Campus.

By Joanie Morris

jmorris@salisburypost.com

KANNAPOLIS — Nutrition and health isn't just for adults, officials at the University of North Carolina Nutrition and Research Institute want you to know. It's for everybody.

To prove it, officials at the institute are launching a new contest aimed at young people from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The contest will pit the most talented artists against one another in three age categories.

"We're hoping this will reach out to the community and get people involved," said Ryan Dayvault, special projects coordinator for the institute. Jana Harrison, deputy director, agreed. With a grand opening of the institute's new, permanent location at the North Carolina Research Campus in November, Harrison said they hope the artists and their families will be able to attend, which could help raise awareness about health and nutrition.

"We're hoping (families) of winners will want to see the art and learn what we do, too," Harrison said. "We're hoping students get excited about health and nutrition and their contribution to it."

A date for the grand opening of the Nutrition Research Institute hasn't been set, but Harrison and Dayvault have set the date for entries in the art contest to decorate the new building, as well as the rules. Entries will be accepted through Oct. 1. Winners will be announced in three categories: prekindergarten-3rd grade, grades 4-8 and grades 9-12.

Three prizes in each category will be awarded, and a grand prize valued at $250 will be awarded to an overall winner. Total value of the 10 prizes is almost $800.

Participating students must emphasize the themes and importance of human health and proper nutrition in their artwork, and winning artwork will be displayed at the new building in time for the grand opening for the community, students and their families, as well as the top researchers in the world, to view.

"We're hoping it adds to the theme of human health and nutrition," Harrison said. "That's what we do. Beyond that, we are really open and hoping to spawn creativity."

Walls and carpet will be neutral beige colors.

All art must be 2-dimensional, able to be framed (the institute will frame the winners) and cannot be computer generated. Art may be entered using any medium including, but not limited to, paint, watercolors, pastels, oil, colored pencil, crayon, pencil, charcoal, ink and markers. Size ranges for acceptable artwork are 11-by-14 inches minimum and 20-by-24 inches maximum.

The institute attached a size requirement "simply because the building is so big," said Harrison. In order to make the contest available to everyone, Harrison said if students don't have access to or can't afford paper within the size ranges, the institute will provide that material to the aspiring artist.

Dayvault came up with the contest as a way to reach out to the local community and help decorate the new building at the same time.

The contest is open to students of any school or system, not just students in Cabarrus and Rowan counties, Dayvault said. If a student from another county in the state, or even throughout the United States, wants to enter artwork in the contest, their art will be welcome.

Artwork can be mailed or dropped off to the institute through mid-August at its temporary location at 113 West Ave., Kannapolis, NC 28081. After mid-August, the institute will move to the new location and artwork can be mailed or dropped off to 500 Laureate Way, Kannapolis, NC 28081.

For a list of full rules and an entry form, brochures can be picked up at the institute's West Avenue address or at any Cabarrus County Public Library, or they can be found online at www.uncnri.org. An entry form must accompany all artwork.

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