The winning Newtown Middle School student groups from this year's Eighth Grade Scarecrow Contest announced at the school on November 15 which charities will receive the winning donations.

Entries in this year's Eighth Grade Scarecrow Contest were on display on the front lawn of NMS and open for the public to vote on October 21 and 22. NMS art teachers Leigh Anne Coles and Kristen Ladue oversaw this year's contest. When members of the public voted for their favorite scarecrow, each $1 per vote collected was to be donated to charities. Each year the winning groups divide money from the fundraiser and choose charities to support with the money.

This year the fundraising contest raised $1,935 to donate to charities, which was the most ever raised, according to Ms Coles.

In first place with the most money earned, the Elephant Made Out of Cans (scarecrow 31) creators Elena Sughrue and Tessa Bigwarfe announced they will be donating their $967 to the Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation.

The second place scarecrow creators of the Giant Fidget Spinner(scarecrow 21), Melina Cummings, Emily Longo, Avery Landgrebe, and Molly McCleary, said they will be donating their $483 to The Ana Grace Project.

Two groups tied for third place and will each be donating $241 to a charity. The Moana Raft (scarecrow 9) creators -Katie Larson, Amelia Daly, Kennedy Reeds, and Sophia Guevara - said they will be donating their winnings to the Newtown Animal Control Shelter. Dillon Mingachos and Ethan Salvitti, who created the Spider Robot (scarecrow 10), will be donating their winnings to REACH Newtown.