More than $2,800 in cash awarded to winners chosen from nearly 900 middle and senior high school student entries
More than $2800 in cash prizes will be awarded to 28 winners of Holocaust Museum and Learning Center’s 12th annual Art and Writing Contest at an awards ceremony Monday, May 12, at 7 pm, in the Holocaust Museum theater in the Jewish Federation Kopolow Building.
There were nearly 900 submissions to the contest, from students in middle schools and high schools throughout the bi-state area. Submissions came from as far away as the Ozarks in Missouri and suburban Chicago in Illinois. The judges also selected art and writing from Indianapolis, Indiana and Hartford, Connecticut.
“The Art and Writing contest is a wonderful opportunity for young people who have visited the museum or studied the Holocaust in their classrooms to respond creatively to what they have learned,” said Rachel Katzman, chair of this year’s contest. “Many of the submissions show amazing sensitivity and depth of understanding. This important outreach program was established with the support of Dr. Ira (of blessed memory) and Judy Gall, and we are so appreciative of Judy’s continued participation.”
As in previous years, the contest is dedicated to the memory of the 1.5 million children who perished during the Holocaust and in honor of the Galls’ grandchildren.
Winning submissions will be displayed in the Holocaust Museum Theater and at other locations to be determined.
Judges for the visual art entries were John Lesser, retired curator of the art gallery, JCC and JCC Cultural Arts Staff, artist Jill Rosenberg, and Roseann Weiss, Regional Arts Commission. Judges for writing were Judi Scissors, retired educator, Pat Lorraine Simons, educator and author, and Sandy Snodgrass, retired teacher, currently with Webster University.
Winners of the 2014 Art and Writing Contest are:
VISUAL ARTS–Division 1, Middle School
FIRST PLACE–$300
The Ghetto
Marwa Abdelkader
Wentzville South Middle School
8th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Elaina Knapp
SECOND PLACE–$200
The Story
Chloe Shen
Park Tudor School
6th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Kathy Campbell
THIRD PLACE–$100
Hidden Identity
Taylor Branson
LaSalle Springs Middle School
8th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Lori Kitrel
HONORABLE MENTIONS–$25
Fading
Ella Tobias
Park Tudor School
8th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Kathy Campbell
Caged in With Separation
Riley Schaefer
LaSalle Springs Middle School
8th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Amber Phelps
Where There Is Hope
Isabelle Steinlage
Holy Infant School
8th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Chris Gillian
Hold On
Courtney St. John
LaSalle Springs Middle School
8th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Kathryn Kowalik
Trampled Tears
Lauren Ferrari
Holy Infant School
8th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Chris Gillian
My Holocaust Memorial
Chase Schroeder
South Point Elementary
6th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Grace Assouad
In Remembrance
Megan Gross
Black Hawk Middle School
7th Grade
Teacher: Mr. Steven Koehler
VISUAL ARTS–Division 2, High School
FIRST PLACE–$300
Hands Through Struggle
Kevin Herber
Christian Brothers College High School
12th Grade
Teacher: Mr. Charles Beach
SECOND PLACE–$200
Forget Your Family, Forget Your Home, Forget Your Name
Maddie Murphy
Lafayette High School
12th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Lauren Sakowski
THIRD PLACE–$100
Broken Souls
Jessica Campbell
Wentzville Holt High School
11th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Bopp
HONORABLE MENTIONS–$25
Through the Eyes of a Child
Annie Woodard
St. Charles West High School
11th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Gail Gengler
Work Will Set You Free
Sydney Woods
Camdenton High School
9th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Angie Koons
Holocaust Picture
Angel Garcia
Ritenour High School
11th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Kristi Ponder
We Must Bear Witness
Ryan Rich
Lindbergh High School
11th Grade
Teacher: Mr. David Early
Mr. Hill
Kayla Wilkerson
Centralia R-6 High School
12th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Rachel Renaud
WRITING–Division 1, Middle School
FIRST PLACE–$300
The Lessons
Felix Hu
Ladue Middle School
7th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Judith Miller
SECOND PLACE–$200
The Numbers
Kaitlyn Amos
Wentzville South Middle School
8th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Elaina Knapp
THIRD PLACE–$100
How Did I Get Here?
Alexis Twillmann
Bernard Middle School
8th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Julie Ragusky
HONORABLE MENTIONS–$25
Holding Hands
Averee McNear
Pana Junior High School
8th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Ellen Beyers
Stars in the Night Sky
Rachel Dressler
Holy Childhood of Jesus School
8th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Kathy Renth
Untitled
Juliana Richardson
North Kirkwood Middle School
8th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Melissa Banjak
WRITING–Division 2, High School
FIRST PLACE–$300
Never Forget
Blair Kurtz
Camdenton High School
9th Grade
Ms. Angie Koons
SECOND PLACE–$200
Faded Pages
Melanie Brucker
Parkway North High School
10th Grade
Ms. Tricia Frank
THIRD PLACE–$100
Reading “Night” in English Class
Colleen Feeney
Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts
11th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Maureen O’Brien
HONORABLE MENTION–$25
Hope Never Dies
Sophia Choo
Wentzville Holt High School
11th Grade
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Bopp