Local winners of the 2016-17 Lions International Peace Poster Contest will be honored at the January Bloomfield Board of Education meeting. Three students and their families will be recognized, with the students receiving certificates and monetary awards.
The contest encourages young people to think about peace, creatively express what it means to them and share their own unique visions with the world. The theme of this year’s contest was “A Celebration of Peace.”
First place winner from Carmen Arace Middle School was Brianna Valentine. She is the daughter of Adrienne Valentine of Bloomfield. Allen Pouvi, daughter of Pai Pouvi of Bloomfield was the first place winner from Carmen Arace Intermediate School and Metropolitan Learning Center’s first place winner for the second year in a row was Aurora Barbosa, daughter of Carrie Phmuonga from Broad Brook, CT. Their posters were forwarded to the Lions District 23B level competition and Aurora’s poster was recognized as third place. Their posters along with the other contestants from the three schools will be on display at the Bloomfield Board of Education for the month of January.
Phyllis Perry and Louisa Cummings, Lions Club president and first vice president and Peace Poster contest coordinators, praised the students for their creative and artistic efforts.
The twenty-eighth annual Lions International Peace Poster Contest emphasizes the importance of world peace to young people everywhere. Posters are judged on originality, artistic merit and expression of the theme. Internationally, one grand prize winner and 23 merit award winners will be selected. Grand prize includes a cash award of $5,000 and a trip for the winner and two family members to a special awards ceremony. Approximately 375,000 students enter the contest yearly, and sixty students participated locally.