Schools

Athens High School Senior Headed to Turkey

Laura Sherman, of Clarke Central High School, wins art award from Istanbul Center.

 

Laura Sherman, a senior at , has won first place in Georgia the 2011-12 Global Connections Art and Essay contest. And second place in the Southeast Region.

The Istanbul Center organizes the contest, which has a prize of 10 days in Istanbul. Based in Atlanta, the non-profit organization invites middle and high school students to submit essays and art that relate to a theme. This year’s theme was “1 Billion Hungry in the World: What’s Your Role?”

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Here is how Laura explains her winning art work, which is featured in the photo section: 

My artwork shows three children who represent the world’s three hungriest countries of the one billion people hungry in the world. Somalia, Afghanistan and Haiti were deemed as the hungriest countries by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. The light source of the image comes from the left side with the hand reaching toward the children, representing the theme “What is Your Role?” The bright light is the hope one can bring to the hungry people of the world by reaching out in any form. This contrasts from the looming darkness on the opposite side, representing the pain of hunger. The line subtly running from each end of the picture represents a connection between all people. We are all human, connected to all of humanity, and have the responsibility of providing for one another. The tally marks at the bottom of the piece represent the rest of the one billion hungry. These marks are also being approached by the white light of hope that weshould be for these people.

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For her sponsoring teacher, she picked Clarke Central math department chair Joy Sapp, her AP calculus teacher.

“I congratulate Laura and Ms. Sapp for this prestigious award, that shows not only the high quality of the work of our students and teachers, but their global awareness as well,” said Superintendent Philip D. Lanoue.

 Sapp also receives 10 days in Istanbul, an all expenses paid.

Why Istanbul? Because it's where more than 15 million people of various backgrounds, languages, religions and cultures live together in peace, according to the organization's website.

Istanbul's combination of Europe and Asia has given the city a rich history and culture rarely found elsewhere in the world.

 “I am so very proud and delighted in Laura’s artistic achievement,” said Sapp. “Her portrayal of our responsibility to the world’s hungry people is perceptive and inspiring.”

Sherman and Sapp will be honored Apr. 7 at the awards ceremony at Kennesaw State University.

The Istanbul Center is a non-partisan NGO established in 2002 to promote better understanding and closer relations between cultures. It creates opportunities for children and adults to engage in dialogue through education, culture and humanitarian works.

 

 

 

 

 


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