Jeff Wentworth

By Jeff Wentworth
State Senator, District 25

Every year about this time, Texas legislators have the pleasure of joining Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson in announcing the General Land Office’s annual “Treasures of the Texas Coast” children’s art contest, and this year we continue the tradition.

Entries are now being accepted for the 2007 competition, which is open to public, private and home-schooled students in kindergarten through sixth grade. The contest is part of the General Land Office’s Adopt-a-Beach Program.

Last year, more than 6,700 students entered the contest, many of them from Senate District 25, which has had winners in previous contests. This year, I hope even more students from Senate 25 will enter the contest.

Entering is both fun and educational. To ensure that their drawings accurately portray the contest’s slogan, “Trashing Texas Beaches Isn’t Cool,” students are encouraged to research ways in which the human factor contributes to the environmental challenges affecting the Texas coast.

In addition to the opportunity to showcase their artistic talents and learn more about the Texas coast, students will be vying for some fabulous prizes.

Two winners are selected from each of the 24 councils of governments in Texas. From the 48 finalists, one grand-prize winner will receive two round-trip coach-class tickets from Continental Airlines to any Continental destination in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America.

In addition, the grand-prize winner’s class will be treated to a party at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in New Braunfels, Galveston or South Padre Island. The grand-prize winner’s teacher also will receive two round-trip coach-class tickets from Continental Airlines.

All 48 winners will receive a ticket to the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, two all-day passes to Schlitterbahn, a certificate of recognition from Land Commissioner Patterson, a 2008 calendar featuring the winning students’ artwork, and prizes from Keep Texas Beautiful.

The deadline for entries is Friday, March 2, 2007. Each entry must be postmarked by that date. Entries should be submitted on an 8-1/2- by 11-inch sheet of white paper and include the official Adopt-A-Beach slogan, “Trashing Texas Beaches Isn’t Cool.”

The contest entry form and guidelines are available on the Internet at www.texasadoptabeach.org. At the site, click on www.glo.state.tx.us, “Treasures of the Texas Coast 2007 Contest” for more information; you also may call toll-free (877) TXCOAST (892-6278).

I encourage students from Senate District 25 to get out their drawing boards, crayons, watercolors and paints, and use their talents to remind visitors to the coast that “Trashing Texas Beaches Isn’t Cool.”

Texas Sen. Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio) represents District 25, which includes Comal County. He can be reached via e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .