Students in Jennifer Moore’s art classes at Bloomingdale and Petrova schools started creating America-inspired art in January and gave the auxiliary between 60 and 70 art submissions.

Members said they were impressed with the artistic prowess of the children and said it was hard to vote on their favorites — it took a lot of deliberation.

Loki Vega, 11, from the Bloomingdale school, had a painting of soldiers’ silhouettes carved into the mountains, marching toward the setting sun. Above the horizon, the colors of an American flag bleed into the evening sky.

He was given a certificate from regional VFW Auxiliary District 9, too. His art went to the state competition and placed second.

Ada Popp, 11, right, was awarded a certificate from Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Post 3357 members Marie-Aymee Fisk, left, and Gina Rabideau Norton on Wednesday for her painting submission for the “Illustrating America” art contest. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Last year, Saranac Lake’s top finalist placed first in the statewide competition. Back-to-back years of being in the top two is pretty good for such a small town auxiliary members said.

Ada Popp, 11, from Petrova, created mountains filled with cacti in a modern, minimalist take on the American landscape. To the right, sprouting from the mountains, a girl wearing American flag-sunglasses blows red, white and blue “American bubbles” toward the word “freedom!”

Lilly Niederbuhl, 10, from Bloomingdale, created a vibrant mountainscape with a person climbing to the summit with an American flag. On the top and bottom are the sayings “From every mountainside, let freedom ring” and “Freedom lies in being bold,” respectively.

Members of the auxiliary thanked Moore for keeping the tradition going. They said the auxiliary member who usually coordinates the contest couldn’t this year, but Moore actually reached out to them to keep it going.

“If it wasn’t for you, this would not have happened,” auxiliary member Barb Dukett told Moore.

The art from Popp, Niederbuhl and Vega will be displayed at the Harrietstown Town Hall on Veteran’s Day on Nov. 11.