The Southwest Voice

By: Courtesy of the Kern County Superintendent of Schools

Endeavour Elementary School student Roman Lara became one of the youngest winners of the Sweepstakes Trophy in the history of the Kern County Fair Children’s Art Contest. Awards were presented inside Harvest Hall at the fairgrounds this morning (Sept. 26). When Lara entered the contest in May, he was only a fourth-grader. The award honors the best-of-the-best in the annual competition sponsored by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office. It is designed to promote and showcase art created by public school children in preschool through eighth grades.

First place blue ribbons were awarded in the special education category and in each grade level. Winners are:
• Preschool — Sergio Flores, Ming Avenue Preschool
• Special Education — Justin Allison, Cecil Avenue Middle School
• Kindergarten — Wesley Gordon, Stockdale Elementary School
• First grade — Hannah Blalock, Stockdale Elementary School
• Second grade — Damian Ramos, Berkshire Elementary School
• Third grade — Cesar Arceo, Valle Vista School
• Fourth grade — Meleni Cuevas, Alicante Avenue School
• Fifth grade — Juan Salazar, Rio Bravo-Greeley School
• Sixth grade — Emily Nelson, Berkshire Elementary School
• Seventh grade — Sabrina Millard, Tevis Junior High School
• Eighth grade — Elizabeth Clark, Edison Middle School

Honorable mention ribbons were also awarded to:
• Kindergarten — Angel Cervantes, Bill L. Williams School
• Kindergarten — Carlos Villalpando, Alicante Avenue School
• First grade — Justin Cadiz, Bill L. Williams School
• First grade — Sara Elholm, Maple School
• Second grade — Jesus De Haro, Bill L. Williams School
• Second grade — Luis Diaz, Buttonwillow Elementary School
• Third grade — Alec Howes, Rio Bravo Elementary School
• Third grade — Mia Rios, Rio Bravo Elementary School
• Fourth grade — Evelyn Sandoval, Albany Park School
• Fourth grade — Sasha Reel, College Heights School
• Fifth grade — Graham Mattox, Quailwood Elementary School
• Fifth grade — Luis Fernandez-Jacinto, Valle Verde Elementary School
• Sixth grade — Angela Del Rosario, Endeavour Elementary School
• Sixth grade — Omar Bishti, Quailwood Elementary School
• Seventh grade — Hannah Woo, Tevis Junior High School
• Seventh grade — Rodrigo Garcia, Edison Middle School
• Eighth grade — Ashley Espitia, Maple School
• Eighth grade — Leonardo Pacheco, Edison Middle School

Entries were received in May. Judging took place on Sept. 18. Each one had to be original in both color and design. Only the top two or three from each classroom survived tough preliminary judging. The Fair Children’s Art Committee pared the submissions down to the final competitors whose artwork was hung by grade level inside Harvest Hall at the fair. For more information, call Ed at 636-4643.