THE 19th ANNUAL DENNIS THOMAS
ART & WRITING CHALLENGE - 2016
Topic/Prompt for 2016: "Cherish these natural wonders"
President Theodore Roosevelt said, “Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children's children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.”
Today, as we face global warming and climate change, these words are more pressing than ever before.
How can our art help us as we raise our voice to stop climate change and the environmental destruction of our planet? Using your unique, artistic voice, create a visual and/or literary interpretation of cherishing and protecting the natural wonders and resources of our planet.
We received submissions from a record number (507+) of students this year!
Students submitted entries in three different categories:
Essay, Creative Writing and Art.
To see the winning entries, please go to the
"Winning Art & Writing Challenge Entries" menu and view the 2016 tabs.
HERE IS THE COMPLETE LIST OF WINNERS.........
Middle School Winners
Grand Prize: Yoon-Ju Kim Before Our Time Runs Out...
Art—Walnut Creek Intermediate
Art:
1st Place: Olya Revkova, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 8, Nature VS. Human
2nd Place (tie): Mia Portner, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 8, The Peaceful Wilderness
2nd Place (tie): Abbey Bear, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 7, Capture the Beauty
3rd Place (tie): Carolina Valdes, Manzanita Charter School, Grade 8, Global Warming
3rd Ella Jensen (tie): Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 8, A World in the Setting of Destruction
Essay:
1st Place: Michelle Chen, Diablo Vista Middle School, Grade 6, A World in Peril
2nd Place (tie): Franklin Ho, Dorris-Eaton School, Grade 7, Ticking Towards Doomsday
2nd Place (tie): Darius Suplica, Dorris-Eaton School, Grade 7, The Global Error
3rd Place: James Frye, Dorris-Eaton School, Grade 6, It Takes the Whole Village
Creative Writing:
1st Place: Sahana Nellian, Dorris-Eaton School, Grade 6, No More
2nd Place: Rishika Vinnakota, Gale Ranch Middle School, Grade 7, Our Mother
3rd Place: Ethan Garcia, Korematsu Middle School, Grade 7,
Brothers, What Are We Causing? To our Mother Earth!
High School Winners
Grand Prize: Corey Rumbaugh, Art Speaks Out
Essay—College Park High School
Art:
1st Place: Chinyere Umozurike, Dozier-Libbey Medical High, Grade 10, Parasite
2nd Place: Alyssa Mae Caldea, Freedom High School, Grade 11, Youth in the Mass
3rd Place: Marlene Koblmiller, Freedom High School, Grade 12, In Our Hands
Essay:
1st Place: Ingrid Lam, California High School, Grade 10, An Ode to Mother Earth
2nd Place: Damaris Hernandez, Richmond High School, Grade 11, Great Losses
3rd Place: Johnathan Orellana, College Park High School, Grade 11,
Sprouting the Seeds of Awareness Through Art
Creative Writing:
1st Place: Sana Jalali, College Park High School, Grade 11, Cherish These Natural Wonders
2nd Place: Allyson Gayoso, Salesian High School, Grade 12, Leaves in Your Hair
3rd Place: Jacqueline Valentine, Las Lomas High School, Grade 11, Stolen Breath
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!
Grand Prize: Yoon-Ju Kim Before Our Time Runs Out...
Art—Walnut Creek Intermediate
Art:
1st Place: Olya Revkova, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 8, Nature VS. Human
2nd Place (tie): Mia Portner, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 8, The Peaceful Wilderness
2nd Place (tie): Abbey Bear, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 7, Capture the Beauty
3rd Place (tie): Carolina Valdes, Manzanita Charter School, Grade 8, Global Warming
3rd Ella Jensen (tie): Walnut Creek Intermediate, Grade 8, A World in the Setting of Destruction
Essay:
1st Place: Michelle Chen, Diablo Vista Middle School, Grade 6, A World in Peril
2nd Place (tie): Franklin Ho, Dorris-Eaton School, Grade 7, Ticking Towards Doomsday
2nd Place (tie): Darius Suplica, Dorris-Eaton School, Grade 7, The Global Error
3rd Place: James Frye, Dorris-Eaton School, Grade 6, It Takes the Whole Village
Creative Writing:
1st Place: Sahana Nellian, Dorris-Eaton School, Grade 6, No More
2nd Place: Rishika Vinnakota, Gale Ranch Middle School, Grade 7, Our Mother
3rd Place: Ethan Garcia, Korematsu Middle School, Grade 7,
Brothers, What Are We Causing? To our Mother Earth!
High School Winners
Grand Prize: Corey Rumbaugh, Art Speaks Out
Essay—College Park High School
Art:
1st Place: Chinyere Umozurike, Dozier-Libbey Medical High, Grade 10, Parasite
2nd Place: Alyssa Mae Caldea, Freedom High School, Grade 11, Youth in the Mass
3rd Place: Marlene Koblmiller, Freedom High School, Grade 12, In Our Hands
Essay:
1st Place: Ingrid Lam, California High School, Grade 10, An Ode to Mother Earth
2nd Place: Damaris Hernandez, Richmond High School, Grade 11, Great Losses
3rd Place: Johnathan Orellana, College Park High School, Grade 11,
Sprouting the Seeds of Awareness Through Art
Creative Writing:
1st Place: Sana Jalali, College Park High School, Grade 11, Cherish These Natural Wonders
2nd Place: Allyson Gayoso, Salesian High School, Grade 12, Leaves in Your Hair
3rd Place: Jacqueline Valentine, Las Lomas High School, Grade 11, Stolen Breath
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!
The winners who were able to attend the Awards Dinner on May 21st, 2016
Congratulations to All Honorable Mentions!
The Mt. Diablo Peace and Justice Center wishes to acknowledge the generous donations received in 2016 in support of the Art & Writing Challenge program:
Bernard E. and Alba Witkin Foundation / Attorney Ann Van de Pol / Jeanne Thomas in Memory of Dennis Thomas / Katherine Tan in Honor of Dennis Thomas.
And thanks to Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church for the assistance of staff and the use of Bortin Hall for the Art & Writing Challenge Awards Dinner.
Bernard E. and Alba Witkin Foundation / Attorney Ann Van de Pol / Jeanne Thomas in Memory of Dennis Thomas / Katherine Tan in Honor of Dennis Thomas.
And thanks to Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church for the assistance of staff and the use of Bortin Hall for the Art & Writing Challenge Awards Dinner.