Savings bonds given

Three St. Louis Public School students won the top prizes in the “Increase the Peace” art competition for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. 

Fifth-grader Chico Weber of Mullanphy ILS School was awarded the first prize of a $100 savings bond for his colored picture of how he visualizes Peace. 

Chico’s art teacher is Andrea Hodges. 

Michael Bailey, a 5th grader from Gateway Michael School, won the second prize of a $75 savings bond. The third prize of a $50 bond went to Arielle Weber of Kennard Classical Junior Academy. 

Michael’s art teacher is Thelma Keshinover. Arielle’s art teacher is Frank Moore, Jr.

Twenty-two schools in the St. Louis metro area took part in the Peace contest.

There were two levels of competition. The second level was for 3rd-5th grade students while the first level was for kindergarten through 2nd grade. Similar awards were given for the younger students also.

Each school held a local art competition. Two entries from each school moved on to the city-wide competition. 

The “Increase the Peace” art contest is part of an overall program to get students to think of ways to reduce conflict in their schools and communities. The slogan of the overall program is: “You’re the One Who Can Increase the Peace.” 

Yvonne Days was the coordinator of the art contest. She is the visual arts supervisor for the St. Louis Public Schools. 

An awards ceremony for winners and their families was held Nov. 17. The winning entries are on display in the lobby of St. Louis Children’s Hospital, which is next door to Barnes-Jewish Hospital. 

One of the attractions of the awards ceremony was the presence of Snerdlihc, who is the mascot of St. Louis Children’s Hospital. 

Students who entered the art competition were told to put in picture terms what peace means to them. They were asked to answer questions about peace with pictures, rather than words. 

Among the questions were: What is Peace? Where do we see examples of Peace around us? What things do you think of when someone talks of Peace?

 In addition to the three second-level winners, 17 other students were awarded honorable mention. They received Children’s Hospital T-shirt and certificates. 

The honorable mention winners in the second level competition were: 

• Gifti Ababa of Gary Gore Elementary in the Jennings district. 
• Ashley Briscoe of East Elementary in Wentzville. 
• Danielle M. Cochran of Sigel School in the SLPS district. 
• Rachel DeNoyer of Woodward School in SLPS. 
• Tim Eschbacher of Kennerly School in the Lindbergh district. 
• Dominique George of Northview School in Jennings. 
• Rachael Gilbert of Farragut School in SLPS. 
• Ikeywia Harris of Hawthorne School in East St. Louis, Ill. 
• Edward Knew of Sherman School in SLPS. 
• Tina McClendon of Cook School in SLPS. 
• Michael McGuire of Farragut School in SLPS. 
• Dantrina Moore of Fairview School in Jennings. 
• Angie Nguyen of Froebel Elementary in SLPS. 
• Judy Nguyen of Gallaudet School in SLPS. 
• Adela Osmanovic of Oak Hills School in SLPS. 
• Jonathan Strickland of Westridge School in Rockwood District. 
• Pamela Weakly of Mann Accelerated School in SLPS.