An art and essay contest honoring the most significant contributions of the civil rights activist Cesar Chavez took place in November. The Cesar Chavez Memorial Education Awards Program not only celebrates the contributions and dreams of Chavez, but also allows students from all different backgrounds to showcase their skills and hard work in the arts or essay categories as well. Although there were many talented artists and writers, a considerable amount of CHS students managed to receive recognition in the contest.
The Cesar Chavez Memorial Education Awards Program was founded in Jan. 1999 by the California Teachers Association with an intention to carry on the legacy of Cesar Chavez’s contribution to education. It continues and fulfills this by allowing students from any public school to enter this contest and showcase their arts and writing talent while learning about some of the contributions and his legacy. This year’s contest recieved contributions in either written or visual form, displaying Chavez’s beliefs and their impacts to the world. CHS students produced works in both categories this year.
One of the art contestants was senior Bryan Huang, who won first place in the art category. Huang based his project off of the basic principles that Cesar Chavez stood for and firmly believed in, like civil rights and equality. The young artist put forth his artistic talents and passion that enabled him to achieve first place.
“After hearing about this project in class, I gained my inspiration through reading about what Cesar Chavez stood for and the basic morals and principles that he based his campaign around,” Huang said. “I never expected to win, so when I was told that, it was a very pleasant surprise. Through this experience, I not only learned a lot about the legacy of Cesar Chavez, but also that working passionately can yield unexpected results.”
Whether it be participating in the writing contest or the art contest, all the contestants have one aspect in common: their passion and hard work. In the end, after hours of writing or painting and hours of familiarizing themselves with Cesar Chavez’s legacy and principles, it has all paid off.