THE 16th ANNUAL DENNIS THOMAS
ART & WRITING CHALLENGE 2013
For Middle and High School Students
The topic for the 2013 Challenge was chosen by a panel of educators and Center Education Committee members. It read as follows:
Mahatma Gandhi said “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth leaves everyone blind and toothless.”
When someone harms us, we often think of revenge. But there is another way. The offender and the victim can come together for reconciliation. The injurer can take responsibility and can at times make amends, and the injured and the community can forgive.
Could you forgive someone who hurt you or someone close to you?
Describe a situation when you forgave or were forgiven.
- We received a new record of 543 entries for this year's contest from all over Contra Costa County.
- Judges included professional artists, teachers (middle to college level) and journalists.
- Thank you to all who participated!
HERE ARE THE WINNERS FOR 2013......
MIDDLE SCHOOL WINNERS
~ ART ~
Tianna Young, Seven Hills School, Grade 8
I Remember a Time (Category Winner - $75)
Taleah Alexander, Riverview Middle School, Grade 8
Invest in Peace ($50)
Jessica Bracken, Pleasant Hill Middle School, Grade 6
The Balloon ($50)
Rien Rodriguez, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 8
Treaty of the Century ($50)
Honorable Mention
Katherine Chong, Pleasant Hill Middle School, Grade 7, Don’t Lie
Ashley Orozco, Riverview Middle School, Grade 8, Love and Peace
Suzanna Creasey, Seven Hills School, Grade 7, What if Everyone Had a Dream?
Tanvi Saran, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 7, Putting Back the Pieces Together
Shannon Keyes, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 8, Mend the World
Stephanie Leighton, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 8, A Heart Unforgiven
Eva Schoenholz, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 8, Love is All You Need
~ESSAY ~
Christian Prior, Vista Middle School, Grade 8
To Forgive is to be Forgiven (Category Winner - $75)
Andy Fan, the Dorris-Eaton School, Grade 8
Blessed Panacea ($50)
Gautham Pasupathy, Windemere Ranch Middle School, Grade 7
Another Way ($50)
Honorable Mention
Isabellajane Baerlang, St. Mary’s School, Grade 6, Ask for Help
Celvi Lisy, Seven Hills School, Grade 6, Helping Hand from Gandhi
Zimra Razvi, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 6, Forgiveness
Holly Lawrence, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 7, Forgiveness a World of Possibilities
Brendan Gregoire, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 8, Forgiveness and Reconciliation
Amy Lin, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 8, Forgiveness
Teresa Hansen, Martinez Jr. High, Grade 8, An Eye for an Eye, a Tooth for a Tooth
Callie Johnson, Martinez Jr. High, Grade 8, Thank You
Lorisa Rodriguez, Martinez Jr. High, Grade 8, Forgive
Aaron Sullivan, Martinez Jr. High, Grade 8, An Eye for an Eye
~ CREATIVE WRITING ~
Neha Menon, the Dorris-Eaton School, Grade 7
Reconciliation Instead of Punishment
(Category Winner - $75)
Micalyn Struble, the Dorris-Eaton School, Grade 7
Bury the Hatchet ($50)
Erin Wenokur, the Dorris-Eaton School, Grade 7
The Handshake ($50)
Honorable Mention
Mojoyin Adegbite, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 6, Abandoned
Sarab Bhasin, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 6, Forgiveness
Chinasa Mbanugo, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 6, Too Late to Control
Aaron Ouyang, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 6, A Silent Decision
Ethan Tai, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 6, Forgiveness
Mikhail Vasilyev, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 6, Rival Teams
Hanna Shelby, Dorris Eaton, Grade 7, The Deadly Path
David Wornow, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 7, Romeo & Juliet- Forgiveness
Varun Jain, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 8, Diamond of Forgiveness
Sarah Mardjuki, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 8, The Key of Forgiveness
~VIDEO ~
Honorable Mention
James Alsterlind, St. Mary’s School, Grade 6, Be the Change You Want to See
HIGH SCHOOL WINNERS
~ ART ~
Penelope Watson, Las Lomas High School, Grade 9
The Tree of Tolerance (Category Winner - $250)
Carina McMaster, Salesian High School, Grade 11
Almost There ($100)
Honorable Mention
Adam Cabrera, Deer Valley High School, Grade 11, Peace, Love and Angel Wings
Nicole Lee, Deer Valley High School, Grade 12, You Decide
Keana Blomquist, Independence High School, Grade 11, Offer the Solution
Sabrina Castro, Salesian High School, Grade 11, The Balloons Are Released
Anthony Araujo, Salesian High School, Grade 11, Great Tree of Peace
Tiana Wittorff, Liberty High School, Grade 11, Hurt. Heal. Harmony.
Madison McDonald, Miramonte High School, Grade 12, Forgive
Adler Faulkner, Acalanes High School, Grade 12, Evolution of Freedom
Nishant Malhotra, Monte Vista High School, Grade 11, Universal Forgiveness
~ ESSAY ~
Ricardo Iglesias III, Middle College High, Grade 12
Four Years of Forgiveness (Category Winner - $250)
Chantelle Powelson, Independence High, Grade 11
Forgiveness Can Set You Free ($150)
Kaitlyn Virden, Independence High, Grade 12
Forgiveness ($150)
Mimi Evans, Dougherty Valley High, Grade 10
Five Letters ($100)
Taylor Graupe, Independence High, Grade 10
The Power of Understanding and Forgiveness ($100)
Honorable Mention
Harsh Wadwa, Dougherty Valley High School, Grade 10, The Blood in My Head
~ CREATIVE WRITING ~
Dani Tamura, Heritage High School, Grade 10
The Cobweb (Category Winner - $250)
Keiziah Pasule, Heritage High School, Grade 9
The Ransom Note ($150)
Gautam Ramesh, Monte Vista High School, Grade 11
An Apology ($150)
Sandra Sajeev, Dougherty Valley High, Grade 9
One Last Chance ($100)
Honorable Mention
Griffen Bier, Middle College High School, Grade 12, Life of Lies
~VIDEO ~
Honorable Mention
Adeline Diaz, Heritage High School, Grade 9, The Key to a Life-Long Friendship
Emmanuel Perez, Deer Valley High School, Grade 11, Peace
~ ART ~
Tianna Young, Seven Hills School, Grade 8
I Remember a Time (Category Winner - $75)
Taleah Alexander, Riverview Middle School, Grade 8
Invest in Peace ($50)
Jessica Bracken, Pleasant Hill Middle School, Grade 6
The Balloon ($50)
Rien Rodriguez, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 8
Treaty of the Century ($50)
Honorable Mention
Katherine Chong, Pleasant Hill Middle School, Grade 7, Don’t Lie
Ashley Orozco, Riverview Middle School, Grade 8, Love and Peace
Suzanna Creasey, Seven Hills School, Grade 7, What if Everyone Had a Dream?
Tanvi Saran, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 7, Putting Back the Pieces Together
Shannon Keyes, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 8, Mend the World
Stephanie Leighton, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 8, A Heart Unforgiven
Eva Schoenholz, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 8, Love is All You Need
~ESSAY ~
Christian Prior, Vista Middle School, Grade 8
To Forgive is to be Forgiven (Category Winner - $75)
Andy Fan, the Dorris-Eaton School, Grade 8
Blessed Panacea ($50)
Gautham Pasupathy, Windemere Ranch Middle School, Grade 7
Another Way ($50)
Honorable Mention
Isabellajane Baerlang, St. Mary’s School, Grade 6, Ask for Help
Celvi Lisy, Seven Hills School, Grade 6, Helping Hand from Gandhi
Zimra Razvi, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 6, Forgiveness
Holly Lawrence, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 7, Forgiveness a World of Possibilities
Brendan Gregoire, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 8, Forgiveness and Reconciliation
Amy Lin, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 8, Forgiveness
Teresa Hansen, Martinez Jr. High, Grade 8, An Eye for an Eye, a Tooth for a Tooth
Callie Johnson, Martinez Jr. High, Grade 8, Thank You
Lorisa Rodriguez, Martinez Jr. High, Grade 8, Forgive
Aaron Sullivan, Martinez Jr. High, Grade 8, An Eye for an Eye
~ CREATIVE WRITING ~
Neha Menon, the Dorris-Eaton School, Grade 7
Reconciliation Instead of Punishment
(Category Winner - $75)
Micalyn Struble, the Dorris-Eaton School, Grade 7
Bury the Hatchet ($50)
Erin Wenokur, the Dorris-Eaton School, Grade 7
The Handshake ($50)
Honorable Mention
Mojoyin Adegbite, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 6, Abandoned
Sarab Bhasin, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 6, Forgiveness
Chinasa Mbanugo, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 6, Too Late to Control
Aaron Ouyang, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 6, A Silent Decision
Ethan Tai, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 6, Forgiveness
Mikhail Vasilyev, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 6, Rival Teams
Hanna Shelby, Dorris Eaton, Grade 7, The Deadly Path
David Wornow, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 7, Romeo & Juliet- Forgiveness
Varun Jain, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 8, Diamond of Forgiveness
Sarah Mardjuki, Dorris-Eaton, Grade 8, The Key of Forgiveness
~VIDEO ~
Honorable Mention
James Alsterlind, St. Mary’s School, Grade 6, Be the Change You Want to See
HIGH SCHOOL WINNERS
~ ART ~
Penelope Watson, Las Lomas High School, Grade 9
The Tree of Tolerance (Category Winner - $250)
Carina McMaster, Salesian High School, Grade 11
Almost There ($100)
Honorable Mention
Adam Cabrera, Deer Valley High School, Grade 11, Peace, Love and Angel Wings
Nicole Lee, Deer Valley High School, Grade 12, You Decide
Keana Blomquist, Independence High School, Grade 11, Offer the Solution
Sabrina Castro, Salesian High School, Grade 11, The Balloons Are Released
Anthony Araujo, Salesian High School, Grade 11, Great Tree of Peace
Tiana Wittorff, Liberty High School, Grade 11, Hurt. Heal. Harmony.
Madison McDonald, Miramonte High School, Grade 12, Forgive
Adler Faulkner, Acalanes High School, Grade 12, Evolution of Freedom
Nishant Malhotra, Monte Vista High School, Grade 11, Universal Forgiveness
~ ESSAY ~
Ricardo Iglesias III, Middle College High, Grade 12
Four Years of Forgiveness (Category Winner - $250)
Chantelle Powelson, Independence High, Grade 11
Forgiveness Can Set You Free ($150)
Kaitlyn Virden, Independence High, Grade 12
Forgiveness ($150)
Mimi Evans, Dougherty Valley High, Grade 10
Five Letters ($100)
Taylor Graupe, Independence High, Grade 10
The Power of Understanding and Forgiveness ($100)
Honorable Mention
Harsh Wadwa, Dougherty Valley High School, Grade 10, The Blood in My Head
~ CREATIVE WRITING ~
Dani Tamura, Heritage High School, Grade 10
The Cobweb (Category Winner - $250)
Keiziah Pasule, Heritage High School, Grade 9
The Ransom Note ($150)
Gautam Ramesh, Monte Vista High School, Grade 11
An Apology ($150)
Sandra Sajeev, Dougherty Valley High, Grade 9
One Last Chance ($100)
Honorable Mention
Griffen Bier, Middle College High School, Grade 12, Life of Lies
~VIDEO ~
Honorable Mention
Adeline Diaz, Heritage High School, Grade 9, The Key to a Life-Long Friendship
Emmanuel Perez, Deer Valley High School, Grade 11, Peace