Contributed Article
The VFW Auxiliary Post 10385 recognized Graham and Greenlee K-12 students for their artistic patriotism during an awards ceremony on April 27 for the Post’s Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest (YACPAC) and Illustrating America Art Contest.
The Art Contest was open to high school students and required a two-dimensional artwork demonstrating their love of country. VFW Auxiliary Secretary Linda Curtis said entries were judged on the originality of concept, presentation, patriotism expressed, content of how it relates to patriotism, clarity of ideas, design technique, and total impact of work.
The Auxiliary recognized the top four competitors at its award dinner, with the top three receiving scholarship awards of $250, $100, and $50, respectively. The top prize went to Madison Deadmond of Safford High School for her work “Corporal Robert Young.” Second prize was awarded to Truthful Beginnings student Charlyn Nguyen for a work entitled “Faith & Freedom.” Third went to Morenci High senior Roselyn Dorrell for a piece entitled “Welcome Home.” Brooklyn Foster of Truthful Beginnings placed fourth for her work, “Strength & Courage.”
Deadmond’s entry will advance to a state-level competition. The state winner will compete in the national final; the top prize will be $15,000.
The Illustrating America competition divided contestants into K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. The contest was similar to the YACPAC in that submissions must be two-dimensional. A chief difference is that the younger students were allowed a bit more latitude because their representations of the U.S. flag did not have to conform to the Federal Flag Code. First-place winners received a $50 prize and an opportunity to compete at the state and possibly even the national levels.
Top prize among the K-2 students went to Atalia Nieves of Truthful Beginnings for her work entitled “Heart of America.” Hazel Nolan of Discovery Plus Academy in Pima took second for “My American Heart.” Another Discovery Plus student, Ayda Taylor, finished third for her “Red, White & Blue Bald Eagle.” Pima Elementary’s Giselle Hernandez was fourth for her drawing of a “U.S. Soldier.”
Discovery Plus Academy accounted for all the grade 3-5 winners. Brigham Benson was first for “In God We Trust,” Myra Durfee was second for “Musicians Pride,” Blade Johnson was third for “Alone at the End,” and Sanford Nelson was fourth for “We the People.”
Only one winner was in the grade 6-8 division: Osean Quinn Egelston of Truthful Beginnings.
The VFW Auxiliary also recognized Pima Elementary kindergarten teacher Dawn Quintero for having the most patriotic class participation.
