In honor of the Season for Nonviolence, the 64 days between the anniversaries of the deaths of Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., the Art of Humanity poetry and poster contest has been annually hosted by VBSchools.
“Nonviolence is a big part of who I am, and the morals my family has built for me, ” junior and participant Vihaan Shah said. “It was more than an assignment for me. Once I realized the impact it could make, I truly felt an empowering motivation to put my work out there.”
This year, the contest ran from Jan. 30 to April 4. Students and faculty were invited to create a poster or write a poem which encapsulated the spirit of the Season for Nonviolence.
“This event is a testament to the power of student voice and artistic expression in promoting compassion and understanding, ” Principal Dr. Leslie Ittner stated in a faculty bulletin.
The event required participants to submit an original poem or poster for the following themes: “Your Voice Matters,” “Resolving Conflict Peacefully,” “Supporting Each Other in the Spirit of Togetherness” and “Why Fit In When You Were Born to Stand Out?” These themes are meant to reach the goals of the poster contest which are mainly to strengthen awareness about the Season for Nonviolence.
“I learned about the event through an email from OLHS as well as my son’s school, ” special education teacher and participant Andrea Smolin said. “My son wanted to participate, so we both agreed to submit entries.”
Three students from Ocean Lakes won awards for their posters while seven won it for their poems. The poster winners included sophomore Vivian Wallace, and juniors Kamie Santos and Zaisha Ipac. The poetry winners included sophomore Zander Hubbard, juniors Anna Keck, Calvin Hartono, Vihaan, Shayna Lovitz, Evan Wang-Li and Smolin.
“I have always had a passion for art ever since I was a kid, ” Zaisha said. “As I grew up, I realized that art is not just colors and shapes on a piece of material but is an expression. Therefore, when I created this piece, it was more than just putting colors on paper but putting emotions and a deeper message that everyone needs to learn.”
The event concluded with an award ceremony on April 2 at 6 p.m. at Tallwood High School. Prizes were awarded to the top 10 posters and poems at the elementary, middle and high school level.
“I would 100% recommend more people to participate in this outstanding event,” Zaisha said. “This is because when one participates, he or she makes a difference in our community and that difference ripples through various individuals.”
