Children’s calendar contest winners enjoy the spoils of their artistic efforts
2016-01-13
On the evening of Jan. 8, Johnson Space Center extended its congratulations to 36 young artists — winners of the annual Safety, Health and Environmental Calendar Contest.
Each drawing went through rigorous evaluation, with the judges specifically looking for creativity, originality, strong use of color and how well the child presented their ideas through the artwork. Each piece of art had to also embody the themes of safety, health or the environment. The themes were chosen as a way educate youth about the value of good health and safety practices, as well as to consider the environment in their everyday lives.
The calendar contest was established 20 years ago as an outlet for kids and a way to get parents involved in their children’s safety and health education. Since then, the contest has grown to an international scale, with entries coming from as far away as Russia.
A party was held in the Gilruth Center Alamo Ballroom to award the winners for their hard work and dedication in the contest. When the children accepted their prizes, they also received a T-shirt with their original artwork printed on it and a personal calendar. Special thanks were given to JSC Director Ellen Ochoa and the event sponsors. Later that evening, a large cake was brought out with each child’s name printed on the icing. The artists also enjoyed face-painting booths, and astronauts signed autographs for them to cap off the festivities.
Below are the 36 artists who won this year’s Safety, Health and Environmental Calendar Contest, as well as their ages and contest sponsors.
NASA Johnson Space Center
Each drawing went through rigorous evaluation, with the judges specifically looking for creativity, originality, strong use of color and how well the child presented their ideas through the artwork. Each piece of art had to also embody the themes of safety, health or the environment. The themes were chosen as a way educate youth about the value of good health and safety practices, as well as to consider the environment in their everyday lives.
The calendar contest was established 20 years ago as an outlet for kids and a way to get parents involved in their children’s safety and health education. Since then, the contest has grown to an international scale, with entries coming from as far away as Russia.
A party was held in the Gilruth Center Alamo Ballroom to award the winners for their hard work and dedication in the contest. When the children accepted their prizes, they also received a T-shirt with their original artwork printed on it and a personal calendar. Special thanks were given to JSC Director Ellen Ochoa and the event sponsors. Later that evening, a large cake was brought out with each child’s name printed on the icing. The artists also enjoyed face-painting booths, and astronauts signed autographs for them to cap off the festivities.
Below are the 36 artists who won this year’s Safety, Health and Environmental Calendar Contest, as well as their ages and contest sponsors.
- Gracie Alvarado, 9; Sponsor: Linda Turnbough
- Tristan Bihari, 8; Sponsor: Leslie Ringo
- Bridgette Boyer; 6, Sponsor: Roy Boyer
- Lily Boyles, 8; Sponsor: Katie Boyles
- Kailey Buck, 11; Sponsor: Linda Turnbough
- Quinn Cassada, 6; Sponsor: Josh Cassada
- Taylor Duncan, 6; Sponsor: Stephanie Duncan
- Vierra Ezhevskaya, 10; Sponsor: Anya Ezhevskaya
- Celia Gafka, 8; Sponsor: George Gafka
- Marcus Gafka, 11; Sponsor: George Gafka
- Gabrielle Golemi, 7; Sponsor: Dominic Golemi
- Camila Gongora, 8; Sponsor: Mirthala Gongora
- Fern Haught, 4; Sponsor: Megan Haught
- Presley Iovine, 9; Sponsor: John Iovine
- Bailey Kinard, 7; Sponsor: Suzanne Miller
- Sydney Kouba, 11; Sponsor: Coy Kouba
- Reese Lenort, 4; Sponsor: Angela Lenort
- Jerico Marquez, 6; Sponsor: Melinda Marquez
- Camdyn McElroy, 5; Sponsor: Christopher McElroy
- Ian McGrath, 10; Sponsor: Stephen McGrath
- Samuel McGrath, 5; Sponsor: Tammie McGrath
- Sully McGrath, 11; Sponsor: Stephen McGrath
- Ila Miller, 5; Sponsor: Warnecke Miller
- Lowell Miller, 8; Sponsor: Warnecke Miller
- Thaddaeus Miller, 10; Sponsor: Warnecke Miller
- Kylan Moody, 11; Sponsor: Thomas Moody
- Willa Jane Neff, 7; Sponsor: David Graham
- Alayna Philley, 6; Sponsor: Lee Philley
- Alessandro Plaza, 7; Sponsor: Angel Plaza
- Genevieve Ringo, 10; Sponsor: Leslie Ringo
- Megan Schwanbeck, 6; Sponsor: Eugene Schwanbeck
- Justin Soto, 10; Sponsor: Lela Walker
- Joaquin Thompson, 5; Sponsor: Ken Thompson
- Max White, 6; Sponsor: Casey White
- Jalynn Williams, 11; Sponsor: Chasity Williams
- Julissa Zuniga, 7; Sponsor: Yvonne Zuniga
NASA Johnson Space Center
The 36 calendar contest winners pose with JSC Director Ellen Ochoa and Bill McArthur, astronaut and Safety and Mission Assurance director, in the background. Image Credit: NASA/Regan Geeseman
McArthur autographs calendars for the kids at the party. Image Credit: NASA/Regan Geeseman
The contest winners, emblazoned in icing, on the cake. Image Credit: NASA/Regan Geeseman