THE 17th ANNUAL DENNIS THOMAS
ART & WRITING CHALLENGE
THE TOPIC:
The topic for the 2014 Challenge was chosen by a panel of educators and Mt. Diablo Peace & Justice Center Education Committee members. It read as follows:
Nelson Mandela said, "A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we so passionately dreamt of" and Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Through our scientific genius we have made of the world a neighborhood; now through our moral and spiritual genius we must make of it a brotherhood."
Let us consider the ways we can work together to celebrate the diversity of our world. Mr. Mandela speaks of "community" and Dr. King speaks of "neighborhood" and "brotherhood." Using your unique, artistic voice, create a visual and/or literary interpretation of diversity, multiculturalism, community, or brotherhood.
Ideas we asked the students to consider:
Think about new ways of bringing people together. Remember a time you experienced a new culture, became friends with someone different from you, or challenged a stereotype.
CONGRATULATIONS!
WINNERS WHO WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE AWARDS DINNER HELD ON MAY 10, 2014
Pictured left to right: Magaly Arias-Lobatos, Devin Westhafer, Sophia Ciotola, Neil Smith, Katie Kwak, Ivy Hughes, Alex White, Harini Rajan, Alyssa Arino, Holly Lawrence, Janelle Celestiine, Taylor Welsh, Millie Barman, Vincent Gonzalez, Khristin Labao, Katherin Buffum and Faith Crow.
HERE WERE THE WINNERS!
- HIGH SCHOOL
Ivy Hughes, Pittsburg High School, Creative Writing, The Plot ($500)
Taylor Welsh, Northgate High School, Art, One ($250)
Harini Rajan, Dougherty Valley HS, Essay, The Importance of Diversity in the United States of America ($250)
Katie Kwak, Athenian School, Art, Shattering to Unite ($150)
Khristin Labao, Pittsburg High School, Art, Food Brings Us Together ($150)
Cristina Mendez, Heritage High School, Creative Writing, Technicolor ($150)
Janelle Celestine, Antioch High School, Art, Without One Piece We All Would Fall ($100)
Imani Reeves, Antioch High School, Art, We Need to Give Each Other Space ($100)
Katherin Buffum, Independence High School, Essay, Creating a Brotherly Community ($100)
Vincent Gonzalez, Independence High School, Creative Writing, Unity ($100)
HONORABLE MENTION:
Nick O'Dea, Las Lomas High School, Creative Writing, My Brother's Keeper
Malachai Anderson, Independence High School, Creative Writing, With Liberty and Justice for All ,
Chandler Lewis, Independence High School, Creative Writing, Long Enough
Faith McGary, California High School, Essay, Knocking Down Barriers Builds a Strong Community
Gabrielle Verkhosh, Northgate High School, Creative Writing, Neighborhood Dream
Emmeline Wei, Monte Vista High School, Essay, I May Speak Mandarin, But I'm Not Chinese
Sydney Chinchilla, Independence High School, Essay, Neighborhood and Brotherhood
Angelica Campos, Middle College High School, Art, All Together Now
Damian Longoria, Pittsburg High School, Art, Friends and a Sunrise
Emma Seiber, Deer Valley High School, Art, Peace
Elise Nagy, Campolindo High School, Art, Diversity
Lilliana Gonzalez, Horizon Independent Study School, Art, Together We Soar!
Antonio Vasago, Black Diamond High School, Art, Symbols of Life
Magaly Arias-Lobatos, Liberty High School, Art, Reflections
Anna-Sofia Giannicola, Las Lomas High School, Art, World Playground
Lois Micole Canlas, Deer Valley High School, Art, Dreaming of Peace in Our World
Katrina Austria, Liberty High School, Positive Changes Start With Positive Visions, Video
Noemi Galarza, Deer Valley High School, Community, Diversity, Brotherhood, Multiculturalism, Video
Zach Ea, Deer Valley High School, Community, Diversity, Brotherhood, Multiculturalism - Video
Kenny Fu'a, Deer Valley High School, Community, Diversity, Brotherhood, Multiculturalism - Video
Tania Hammond, Deer Valley High School, Community, Diversity, Brotherhood, Multiculturalism - Video
Joseph Beakhouse, Antioch High School, Community: A photographic interpretation - Video
Natalie Martinez, Deer Valley High School, Times Have Changed - Video
Bailey Brown, Deer Valley High School, Times Have Changed - Video
Weston Hopkins, Deer Valley High School, Times Have Changed - Video
Jonathan Perez, Deer Valley High School, Times Have Changed - Video
Eric Cooper, Deer Valley High School, Times Have Changed - Video
Isadora Stern, Berkeley High School, Are You Ready? - Video
MIDDLE SCHOOL
PRIZE WINNERS ANNOUNCED:
Holly Lawrence, Dorris-Eaton, Creative Writing, We're All Only Human - $200
Neil Smith, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Art, Human - $100
Olivia Lee, Carquinez Middle School, Creative Writing, Togetherness is Golden - $100
Faith Crow, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Art, Dream - $75
Devin Westhafer, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Art, C'est n'est pas - $75
Alex White, Iron Horse Middle School, Creative Writing, Walls - $75
Verenice Ortiz, Hercules Middle School, Art, Working United! - $50
Kylie Drossner, Adams Middle School, Essay, Diversity - $50
Bennett Winther, Dorris-Eaton, Essay, An Unexpected Friend - $50
Alyssa Arino, Sequoia Middle School, Essay Acceptance - $50
Sofia Ciotola, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Art, The Wall - $50
Millie Barman, Dorris-Eaton, Creative Writing, Naman's Journey to Serve - $50
HONORABLE MENTION
Nina Velazquez, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Art, Wisdom is Better
Lindsay Hack, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Art, Let Freedom Reign
Taylor Weidinger, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Art, I have a Dream
Ana Greer, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Art, Make it be Reality
William Ponce Ramirez, Riverview Middle School Art, Imagine
Ella Lipelt, Walnut Creek Intermediate Art, Art of Flight
Pamela Coloma, Walnut Creek Intermediate Art, Celebrate the Diversity of the World
Camille Heathcock, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Art,
Jessica Mele, Walnut Creek Intermediate, Art, Peace, Love, and Brotherhood
Aaron Ouyang, Dorris-Eaton, Creative Writing, A New Day
Mobeen Hirbod, Dorris-Eaton. Creative Writing, Looking for Keys to a Better World
Mimoli Uehara, Dorris-Eaton. Creative Writing, The Llght
Gautham Pasupathy, Windemere Ranch Middle School, Creative Writing, There Are People Out There
Sarab Bhasin, Dorris-Eaton. Essay, Racism
Ryan Grauman, Dorris-Eaton. Essay, An International Brotherhood
Benjamin Park, Dorris-Eaton. Essay, Diversity, Acceptance and Community
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL, WE HAD NEARLY 500 SUBMISSIONS!