Lee County Extension Office

Art Doing Its Part is an easy way to raise awareness of water stewardship and our envirnoment. We are leading region 3 in the Art Doing Its Part. Please contact our office at 662-841-9000, we are offering free workshops for teachers to earn prizes, free CEUs, and prizes for students who participate. When we take care of Mississippi's natural resources, we all win.

Pollution and the litter problem in Mississippi is being addressed by a lot of people in a lot of important ways, and some think art has a part to play in the effort.

Art Doing Its Part is a statewide art and slogan competition aimed at personalizing the issue for communities by showcasing litter challenges specific to their regions, illustrating how local actions impact local and distant environments. The program is supported by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

“Mississippi and connecting water bodies face significant litter problems, much of which originate from inland areas,” said Erin Wallace, MSU Extension associate at the Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi. “Items like bottles, cigarette butts, straws and fragmented plastics travel through rivers, streams and stormwater systems to eventually reach coastal waters, affecting human health, local economies and aquatic life.

“Addressing this issue requires a statewide, collaborative approach, involving both inland and coastal communities,” she said.

The Art Doing Its Part effort is being championed by First Lady of Mississippi Elee Reeves.

“Mississippi is filled with natural beauty and talented artists of all ages,” Reeves said. “The Art Doing Its Part competition is a great way for young people to help keep Mississippi the most beautiful state in America.”

The Art Doing Its Part contest is a chance for ninth to 12th graders to lead the way in encouraging Mississippi residents and visitors to take pride in the state and actively participate in litter reduction, prevention and cleanup. The art competition is designed to raise awareness of the connection between local litter and the pollution of local and connecting waterways.

Teens are invited to develop a piece of artwork, a slogan or a short reflection that raises awareness about the connection between local litter and waterway pollution. Artwork must be submitted by Oct. 26, 2026, to the contact person and organization for their region.

Winners will be selected from seven regions of the state, and teens’ work will be featured in a statewide marketing campaign, including on billboards, T-shirts, a traveling art exhibit, outreach materials and a beach beautification project.

Find details, contest rules and additional information about Art Doing Its Part at https://msucoastal.com/artdoingitspart/. Extension’s Mississippi Sound Estuary Program and the Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain are coordinating on this program.

Join the soybean challenge! Call our office for information at 662-841-9000.

Mark your calendar for North Mississippi's Row Crop Field Day! August will be here before you know it. Call our office for more information at 662-841-9000.

Here is an opportunity for youth to learn and experience agriculture with knowledgeable specialists. Call our office for more information 662-841-9000.

Be sure you register for Dirt Daubers Camp! Spaces are filling up.

Mississippi Farmer-to-Farmer is a new newsletter that features events and individuals that offer much to our local communities. For those interested in subscribing to the newsletter, check out the link https://msfarmertofarmernewsletter.substack.com/p/june-farmer-newsletter?r=8dss2a&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true
Lee County's very own Shumpert Farms is featured this month.

June: Farmer Newsletter! Mississippi Farmer-to-Farmer Newsletter

Dirt Daubers Camp registration is OPEN. Be sure to come by our office and secure your child's reservation!

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day!

Teacher Workshop opportunities are coming soon: art contests for youth with prizes and free CEUs for teachers, all to promote environmental sustainability. Call our office at 662--841-9000 to request a session. The potential dates for teacher workshops are June 5, June 25, June 29, July 9-10, July 16, and August 3-5.