East announces winners of art, essay contest honoring Gold Star Boys
APRIL 29, 2009 – East High School senior Arnoldo Cardenas won best essay and junior Aven Simmons won best artistic rendering in an art and poster contest to broaden awareness of the legendary Gold Star Boys and a volunteer effort to establish memorials for the 34 fallen war heroes at the landmark school.
Cardenas and Simmons are being presented with checks for $100 by contest judges who included acclaimed Rockford artist and East alumnus Tom Heflin, former Rockford Public Schools Superintendent Alan Brown and Estelle Black, a retired public library administrator. Other winners are: Anna Vandre, second place/essay; Arturo Rangel, third place/essay; Blanca Cisneros, second place/art; and Amanda Boyd, third place/art.
Judges will unveil the winning essays and posters during an official announcement at 1:45 p.m. today in the school library.
Cardenas, a senior who writes for the East Highlights student newspaper and has interviewed Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn, discussed the meaning of sacrifice in his essay. Simmons, a junior, was selected to participate in the 2009 All-Star Art Exhibit, an annual show featuring the best work produce by high school students.
The contest was sponsored by alumni, faculty and other volunteers who formed the East High School Veterans Memorial Committee to raise $75,000 to build indoor and outdoor memorials to the Gold Star Boys, who were East students or recent graduates when they lost their lives in service to their country.
Plans unveiled by the committee in November 2008 call for an interactive display in the school’s lobby and an outdoor peace garden. Tax-deductible contributions may be sent to the East High School Veterans Memorial Fund at AMCORE Bank, 1480 S. Alpine Road, Rockford, IL 61108. |
