Dessie Swink local winner in peace poster contest
By SANDRA STONE Dessie Swink, an 8th-grader at Stuart Pepper Middle School has taken the first step to becoming an internationally recognized artist by winning a local competition sponsored by the North Hardin Lions Club. Swink’s poster was among more than 350,000 entries submitted worldwide in the annual Lions International Peace Poster contest. Lions Club International sponsors the program to emphasize the importance of world peace to young people everywhere. The poster, done in colored pencils, depicted hands with doves emerging from them. Her poster was selected by the judges for its originality, artistic merit and portrayal of the contest theme: “Celebrate Peace.” “I’m very excited about this honor,” said Swink, “and I appreciate the Lions Club for providing the opportunity to participate in the contest.” North Hardin Lions Club president Karen Maschak said she was impressed by the expression and creativity of David Craycroft’s art students at Stuart Pepper Middle School. “It’s obvious these young people have strong ideas about what peace means to them,” she said. “I’m so proud that we were able to provide them with the opportunity to share their visions.” Swink’s poster will advance through the district, multiple district and international levels of competition in the hopes of being declared the international grand prize winner. One international grand prize winner and 23 merit award winners will be selected. The grand prize includes a cash award of $2,500 plus a trip for the winner and two family members to New York, N.Y., for the awards ceremony at Lions Day with the United Nations. The 23 merit award winners will each receive a certificate and cash award of $500. Swink was among three students honored by the North Hardin Lions Club with dinner Dec. 2 at Uncle Frank’s Restaurant. At that time, she and her two Hardin County peers received certificates of achievement and $100 in cash to spend as they chose. “I’m happy the middle school could be involved,” said Bill Albano, sponsor of the local Leo Club for youth 12-18. The Leo Club meets 3:30-4:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Friday at SPMS. For more information about Lions Clubs or Leo Clubs or to view past international grand prize winners of the Peace Poster Contest, log onto www.lionsclubs.org.
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Photo by Sandra Stone