One Community Health High School Art Scholarship Contest Winners!
One Community Health's art scholarship contest has finished! We are proud to announce the winners.
Over the last several months, Juniors and Seniors from our local Columbia Gorge schools have spent countless hours creating their masterpieces for this years OCH High School Art Scholarship contest.
Winners received scholarship funding in a 529 account to save for college, trade school, or other education expenses.
1st Place:
Somos Unos
Lucian Burns - The Dalles High School
This piece represents unity, showing a series of people from all walks of life holding their hearts out to the world, expressing their love for all people, their communities, and the world they live in.
All races, ethnicities, and ages stand together as one, as is further punctuated by the repeating of the phrase "We are one" in all manner of different languages.
This image, despite being fairly simple upon first glance, is meant to serve as a message of hope, of equality, of diversity, of love, and of peace. I believe that the antidote for the disconnection, despair and injustice of the world is community-based action rooted in open heart connection--the deep knowing that what is done to one is done to all.
We have an opportunity in this place at this time to lead with our hearts, stripped down and bare in our vulnerability which is the ultimate expression of courage, power, strength and unity.
2nd Place: Fine
Ava Moore - Hood River Valley High School
As a person living with chronic illness, I find it very important for medical professionals to take one’s condition seriously, no matter how complex or confusing the issue may seem.
I was born chronically ill so I’ve had quite a few experiences in which medical professionals dismissed the needs of my family and I.
A lot of chronically ill people are repeatedly told throughout their life that they “look fine”, so I drew over one hundred faces, because it’s impossible to tell someone’s condition or life story just by their face. I felt it was important to have a large quantity of anonymous faces to express that everyone has medical needs regardless of how different one individual is from the next.
In the middle of the canvas I wrote “Don’t We Look Fine?” as somewhat of a plea from the horde of people all fighting to be heard and respected equally.
3rd Place:
Our Bleeding Heart
Hailey Bodolay - Lyle School
Everyone has a heart and needs to care for theirs and each other’s, regardless of race, ethnicity, or nationality. My painting portrays several people holding and caring for a bleeding heart.
All of them are working together to make it beat again. None of them are fighting with each other or arguing over what's happening. All of them want to help their heart.
Often, people only care for themselves and never work together to help others, whether from bias or selfishness.
People need to learn to be kind, not biased, and not selfish. Helping one another is the most selfless and kind thing a person can do. If everyone helps with that just a little bit, then the world would be a better place.
The world we live in right now is full of selfishness, bias, and hate towards other people. I hope my painting can help people learn to work together to accomplish great things, without hate.
4th Place:
Birds of a Feather
Amya Shaw - White Salmon High School
Although my art piece may be disguised as an ordinary painting, it conveys a powerful message and reflects the theme "advance health and social justice for all" through my perspective. It is a meaningful self-portrait conveying the urgency to stand up for the less privileged in our community.
At first glance, the painting depicts a girl holding her beloved pet in a winter scene. However, the true meaning lies a little deeper. For background information, I live with many animals, and as the oldest sibling, it is often my duty to take care of others who cannot support themselves.
Considering the theme, I did some self-reflection. I realized that my personal experiences reflect what is lacking in the modern world of healthcare and social justice: Standing up for those who can't always fight for themselves.
Taking care of my animals and family has shown me that a community cannot thrive if no one dares to ensure all members get the support and help they need. After college and additional education, I aspire to have a successful, inspiring, and meaningful career in the healthcare field.
I am determined to one day be the kind of person that the world needs more of, which is why I depicted a person like me in my painting- to inspire people to be their best selves and help others do the same.
