Art

2025 Educational Trail Mail Design Winner and Finalists

This year’s theme, “Under the Burled Arch in Nome” brought us many fabulous Trail Mail Art Contest entries. Thanks to everyone who participated. Teagan R., age 12, of Omaha, Nebraska has been selected as the artist for the 2025 Trail Mail envelopes.  Teagan’s design was selected by Jon and Jona Van Zyle to be printed …

“Under the Burled Arch in Nome” – 2025 Trail Mail Design Contest

  Annual Iditarod Education Department Trail Mail Design Contest Attention 5th – 12th Grade Artists,  Teachers, & Parents:  It’s time again for our student art contest to create the 2025 Iditarod Trail Mail envelope design. What is the Educational Trail Mail Project? To honor the Historic Iditarod Trail’s use as a mail trail, the Educational …

Jon Van Zyle Sketches for the Education Department Newsletter

The Iditarod Education Department is so very thankful for the continued support of Jon Van Zyle, official Iditarod artist.   Each month, he sketches an original artwork to accompany an article in the EDU’s “Mush On!” newsletter.  Jon has donated these sketches to the education department to be offered for sale to raise funds to support …

Trail Mail Art Contest Winners Announced!

Over 40 pieces of art for the Trail Mail Art contest were received from across the US this year. We are grateful to Wendy Brott for her continued support of this program, and to Jon and Jona Van Zyle who served as judges and selected this year’s winners. The decision was very difficult for the …

Second Annual Trail Mail Art Contest Open!

Attention 5th – 12th Grade Artists,  Teachers, & Parents: We have a special art contest just for you & your students! We are thrilled to announce our second annual student art contest to create the 2022 50th Anniversary Iditarod Trail Mail judged by official Iditarod artist Jon Van Zyle and artist Jona Van Zyle. What …

Sled Dogs in the Classroom: Wrap Up the Year With a Cooperative Project

This winter looked a little different in downtown Anchorage than it normally does. With the Covid restrictions that were in place, sled dogs were not seen downtown taking off from Fourth Avenue for the start of the Fur Rendezvous or the Iditarod Ceremonial Start in March as they traditionally do. As a way to keep …

Announcing Our Trail Mail Contest Winners

Our first annual Trail Mail Art Contest was a tremendous success! We were thrilled to accept over 40 entries from students in grades 4-12 and from all over the country. A team of Iditarod Educators narrowed the field to ten finalists which were then judged by artists Jon and Jona Van Zyle. The Iditarod Education …

Classroom Connections: Husky Art Drawing (Virtual Lesson Possibility)

  Throughout the years of my teaching about the Iditarod, I have always had a lot of  support from the special areas teachers at my school. These teachers have always been so collaborative, that I wanted to make sure that I included some lessons that can be used with their class content as well. So …

Trail Mail Art Contest

UPDATE!! Now open to Fourth and Fifth Grade Artists! DEADLINE EXTENDED! Now due December 20th! Attention 5th – 12th Grade Artists,  Teachers, & Parents: We have a special art contest just for you & your students! We are thrilled to announce a student art contest to create this year’s Trail Mail judged by official Iditarod …

The Patch!

Each year the Teacher on the Trail™ gets to create their own patch and mine has finally come in!  My patch was designed by my 4th grade student, Libby McMahon.  Libby’s design was one of 35 submitted, and it was selected as the winner by the 3rd-8th graders at Saint Andrew. Libby’s design included three important things—an …