Treasurer Michael Frerichs Opens 2026 Cream of the Crop Photography Contest for Young Illinois Residents

Top Winners Will Receive $1,000 Bright Start College Savings Scholarships

Key Points:

• Young folks ages 8 to 18 are eligible for the photograph contest, which focuses on Illinois agriculture.
• First-, second-, and third-place winners in every of three age classes will obtain Bright Start scholarships of as much as $1,000.
• Entry deadline is June 12, 2026.

Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs is asking on younger Illinois photographers to submit their agriculture-related pictures for the 2026 Cream of the Crop Photography Contest. Winners in three completely different age classes shall be awarded Bright Start faculty financial savings account scholarships starting from $250 to $1,000.

The contest entry deadline is June 12, 2026. The competitors, now in its 14th 12 months, gives college students ages 8 to 18 with a inventive alternative to share their imaginative and prescient of agriculture in our state.

“I enjoy hosting this contest each year because it inspires students to go out and explore the beauty of Illinois agriculture while also displaying their creative talents,” Frerichs mentioned. “Illinois is home to skilled and dedicated farmers, millions of acres of fertile farmland, and a diverse range of products, all of which make us a leader in the agricultural industry.”

The Treasurer’s Office is now accepting digital submissions for the Cream of the Crop Photo Contest at this hyperlink. Each taking part scholar might submit as much as two pictures by June 12, 2026.

A panel of out of doors judges will select the highest images in three age-based classes: ages 8-10, 11-14 and 15-18. Bright Start scholarships of $1,000, $500 and $250 shall be awarded to college students who place first, second or third in every of the three classes.

To learn the principles, phrases, and authorized circumstances related to this contest, go to this hyperlink on the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office web site or contact Teri Whitfield at 217.900.0075.

Now in its 14th 12 months, the photograph contest presents Illinois college students a chance to showcase their most modern or scenic footage that depict their imaginative and prescient of agriculture in our state. Nearly 900 college students have participated within the contest because it debuted in 2013, and so they have submitted nearly 1,600 pictures.

The Cream of the Crop Photo Contest is a part of the Illinois State Treasurer’s Ag Invest program. Winning pictures shall be featured in Ag Invest advertising and marketing materials and subsequent 12 months’s Cream of the Crop calendar, in addition to on the 2026 Illinois State Fair.

Ag Invest is without doubt one of the nation’s largest agricultural linked deposit applications, celebrating 43 years in 2026. It helps lots of of Illinois farmers and agriculture professionals. The Treasurer’s Office, via Ag Invest, companions with eligible monetary establishments to supply farmers and ag companies working strains of credit score and long-term, low-interest loans which can be utilized for working prices, gear purchases, construction-related bills and livestock purchases.

Media Contacts
Eric Krol 312.814.1252
Adriana Colindres 217.558.1920

About the Treasurer

The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office is a strong financial engine that invests in folks to drive prosperity, growth and development all through the state. As State Treasurer, Michael Frerichs (FRAIR’iks) is the state’s Chief Investment and Banking Officer and actively manages roughly $60 billion. The investments assist households pay for faculty and commerce college; employees save for a dignified retirement; and native governments course of invoice funds extra effectively to allow them to move alongside the financial savings to taxpayers. The workplace gives monetary establishments with cash to mortgage to farmers, small enterprise homeowners, and certified people at below-market charges as a result of higher jobs create stronger communities. The workplace operates the state’s largest consumer-protection initiative, the lacking cash ICash program, which has returned a record-breaking $2.4 billion since Frerichs was elected.

For extra information concerning the State Treasurer’s Office, please join our newsletter and comply with Treasurer Frerichs on Instagram at IL Treasurer, Threads @iltreasurer, LinkedIn and on Facebook at Invested in You – Treasurer Michael Frerichs.

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PDF model is obtainable right here.