“Moozie” Art and Essay Contest Open for Kindergarten Through Third Graders Until May 5, 2025, to Promote Kindness, Sponsored by Nonprofit Children’s Kindness Network 

Children’s Kindness Network (CKN) is celebrating kindness by hosting the ninth annual Moozie Kindness Essay and Art Contest for children in kindergarten through third grade. The art track is open to children in kindergarten through third grade; the essay contest applies to second and third graders. Entry is free. Entries for the 2025 contest are due Monday, May 5.

Contest rules, prize information, and submission form are available on the Moozie.org site.

This year’s prompt for essay and art submissions is: “Describe or illustrate how you or someone else have been or could be ‘kind to yourself,’ one of Moozie’s four pillars of kindness. This may encompass mental health, physical wellness, hygiene or safety.” CKN sponsors the contest to promote literacy, creative arts, kindness values and related social/emotional skills. CKN expects strong participation by students from the nonprofit organization’s immediate area, Greater Nashville, as well as entrants from across the U.S.A. and other countries. Last year’s winners were from Tennessee and Colorado. Vic Legerton, CKN President and Chief Executive Officer, notes that contest participation “is a fabulous opportunity for young children to be creative, practice writing, and think about healthy and caring habits. We’ve seen how participating children build confidence and share enjoyment with their families. It’s yet another level of delight if they win and receive gift cards from our wonderful sponsor, Learning Express Toys & Gifts of Nashville/Franklin, TN!” Vic and team anticipate that contest participants will turn to “Moozie,” the kind cow, for inspiration, by checking out the www.moozie.org site.

CKN’s Moozie the cow is the kindness ambassador who comes with evidence-based lessons, songs, and stories. “Children listen to her messages of kindness,” says Founder and 2024 Franklin Tomorrow Exemplary Community Volunteer Award-winner Ted Dreier. “Moozie encourages kindness to yourself, to others, to animals, and to Earth.” Moozie’s inspirations are available at www.moozie.org; on Instagram and Facebook @moozieckn; and through Moozie’s Kind Messages podcast available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. CKN welcomes requests from elementary schools, pre-schools, libraries, families, hospitals and potential non-profit partners for Moozie’s visits to read, conduct kindness interactions, and spread cheer.