Contributed photos

The 2026 Illustrating America contest organized by the New York Mills VFW Auxiliary received over 200 submissions from New York Mills School including K-2: 1st Place Ensley Raisanen, 2nd Gretta Wegscheid, 3rd Sadie Ruther, Honorable Mention Tracer Skoog, Honorable Mention Ryan Longoria. 3-5th Grade: 1st Place Avery Brooks, 2nd Vaeda Zutter, 3rd Cecilia Olson, Honorable Mention Quinn Schmitz. 6-8th Grade: 1st Michael Bleicher, 2nd Britta Keskitalo, 3rd Tate Sneeden, Honorable Mention Alyssa Foley, Honorable Mention Ella Saewert, Honorable Mention Ellie Campana. The top three contestants will move on to the next level of the competition.