Local Boys and Girls Club Members Honored for Hispanic Heritage Artwork – Medford News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News

UScellular associates presented gift cards of varying amounts to three Rogue Valley students for the artwork they submitted in a contest honoring Hispanic Heritage Month.

The winners were members of the Rogue Valley Boys & Girls Clubs in Talent and Grants Pass. Grants Pass’s Nevaeh Silver received $ 250 for first place; Riley Chisum of Talent received $ 150 for second place, and Teen Team (Hannah McGovern, 12; Max Fitzgerald, 12 and Elijah Law, 16) of Grants Pass received $ 100 for third place.

The student awards were presented at peer-hosted events at two locations: the cafeteria at Talent Elementary School and the gymnasium at the Boys & Girls Club facility in Grants Pass.

Silver said she chose to do an oil painting of a Mexican dance scene, which took her about two weeks.

“I love Mexican dancers and I love to dance, so I thought if I make people dance together it will bring happiness,†said Silver, a fifth grade student at Riverside Elementary School. “I want people to know that it doesn’t matter if you have your own talent, your own heritage and your own culture.”

Greg Roe, executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Rogue Valley, applauded not only Silver but all of its members, who are 33% non-white, for their participation.

“I think it was very important for our kids to recognize other people’s culture besides their own – she nods,†said Roe, who participated in the interview with Silver. “I was so impressed with the artwork; it was just second to none.

He noted that Boys & Girls often involves science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM).

“Every culture has contributed art, engineering, math, science – and it’s great for our children to recognize that there are great people in the world who have contributed to each of these. domains, â€Silver said.

In the UScellular competition, the winners surpassed the 10 finalists, for the creation of works of art by influential Hispanic and Latin American personalities from around the world.

Representatives of the Boys & Girls Club reviewed the artwork and judged it on the basis of “creativity, quality, interpretation, clarity of theme and overall feel,” according to a US press release. .

The company then set up a website that people could visit, view the artwork, and vote for their favorite at the end of last month.

Voting ended on the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month, October 15.

Community votes were counted and first, second and third place winners were determined.

“It was amazing to see the creativity and the wide range of inspiration used by club members to create their art,†said Anthony Carlson, regional vice president at UScellular, in a prepared statement. “We extend our congratulations to the winners and all the finalists of this inaugural competition.