My family has taken part in both types of programs. We recommend you check out both possibilities. Group contests will be discussed in the next issue. Some will be more suitable for your family and your children than others. I have a broad definition of a contest.
Some contests have many winners.
An art contest my daughters entered offers about 1,000 awards to the 4,000 U.S. entries. Last year both girls were thrilled to get silver and bronze medals and simple art supplies as prizes. Other contests have only a very few winners, which may be discouraging to some children. Winners must sometime meet certain criteria, as in the AP program or the Presidential Sports Award program. Money rewards or trips, like to Washington, D.C. for final award ceremonies, are a part of some contests.