MOUNT VERNON — There were hundreds of submissions to the 2012 Japanese-influenced art contest. Students who placed in the top three places in each category received cash prizes for their effort at a brief ceremony held at the high school on May 17.
The Ohio State University Institute for Japanese Studies provided the prizes for this contest and Assistant Director Janet Stucky was on hand to present the awards. She explained why the Institute sponsors the school events.
“Part of our outreach is to help educate about Japan, its culture and customs,” said Stucky. “This contest is one way to do that. The students might go on the Internet to find out how to write their name in Japanese, learn more about the language and just generally increase their knowledge of Japan.”
The focus of this year’s contest was cherry trees, Stucky said, because it’s the hundredth anniversary of the planting of the cherry trees in Washington, D.C.
Kailyn Jackson took second and third place in the middle school art division. She said she enjoys Japanese-style art because, “I just like the way Japanese art uses colors and the environment and make everything close to nature.”
Halie Chaffin won the high school haiku contest. She said she likes haiku because it doesn’t have a rhyme scheme. “Haiku poems are short,” she added. “You can use any topic, but nature should enter into it.”
The winners of the 2012 Mount Vernon Japanese-influenced art contest are:
•Elementary Haiku Art: Trey Stetler, first; Connor Dailey, second; and Carson Comer, third.
•Middle School Haiku: Meralyse Dessert, first; Sydnee Burdge, second; and Tim Zeller, third.
•Middle School Art: Megan Wise, first; Kailyn Jackson, second and third.
•High School Haiku or Tanka Poetry: Halie Chaffin, first; Maddi DePolo, second; and Elana Zambori, third.
•High School Art: Olivia Dillon, first; Briana Buckhalter, second; and Delaney Shultz, third.
“In many and various ways, we are truly a talented school district,” said contest coordinator Rob Fetters. “Thank you to all who took the time to participate, especially all of the students who submitted, and the people who are supportive of them: Parents, teachers, principals, our superintendent, school board and community.”
