GRAVETTE — Piper Batie, an eighth-grader at Gravette Middle School, was honored at the February meeting of the School Board as a local winner of the Lions Club annual International Peace Poster Contest.
She is the daughter of Doug and Jennifer Batie of Gravette. After taking first place in the local contest, Piper’s poster went on for judging on the district level and she won second place in the district competition.
Linda Damron, president of the Gravette Lions Club, and Jeff Davis, club treasurer, were present at the meeting, and Damron presented Piper with her prizes of certificates and a pin. Club members also gave her a set of watercolors as a gift.
The theme of this year’s annual contest was “Peace through Service.” Piper’s winning artwork depicted a young lady assisting an older person in a wheelchair. A dove, a symbol of peace, perched on a windowsill nearby. Damron commented that the poster was not only a winner because of its artistic merits but because it showed that Piper truly understood the meaning of service.
The Lions Club International Peace Poster Contest is sponsored by Lions Clubs worldwide to give schoolchildren, ages 11-13, an opportunity to share their visions of peace with their community. The contest was introduced in 1988-89 and the first contest winner was Mustapha El Tawokji from Lebanon.
One winner for each contest is chosen to advance to the district governor for judging. One winner is selected on the district level to go on to the multiple district competition and from there one winner is forwarded to International Headquarters for the final judging. Entries are judged on all levels on originality, artistic merit, and portrayal of the theme.
Members of the Gravette club judged the local contest at their regular meeting on Nov. 3 and chose Piper as the local winner. Kinsley Burrow won second place in the local contest. Keagan Magee, Yarley Camacho, Mallory Wright, Jace Keller, Brantily Jones, Kami Garner and Trevor Blevins all won honorable mention on the local level and received certificates for their participation.
Damron expressed thanks to middle school art teacher, Ms. Kolbie Kesterson, for encouraging her students to participate. Appreciation also goes to Cela Gaytan, Lions Club vice-president, who was chairman of the contest for the second year.
Susan Holland may be reached by email at sholland@nwadg. com .