Peace of art
Each year, members of the North Fort Myers Noon Lions Club, and particularly committee coordinator Ron Manchester, look forward to the annual Peace Poster Awards. It honors top art projects depicting peace from talented art students at North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts.
This year’s winners from the school include Nicole Willard, who won first place and is in seventh grade; eighth grade student Shauna Streky, who took second place and seventh grader Tara Rudd, who won third place.
The young talented arts students received both cash awards and certificates.
“It’s an international contest,” said Manchester. “Our No. 1 entry will go to further contests.”
Manchester has been in charge of the Peace Poster Contest for the North Fort Myers Lions Club for the last five years. “I really enjoy doing this,” he said.
The local winning poster is already on its way to the regional competition, and that winner will go to a national, then international, contest.
The club works through the school nurse and Lions Club member Maiya Christensen to coordinate the judging.
The contest is open to 11-, 12- and 13-year-olds from around the world. But local students doing the exceptional artwork is the local Lions Club’s pride, she said.
“Spreading peace and international understanding is the goal. The Lions Club is the world’s largest service organization. One of our mottos is ‘we serve.'”
“We also help people eradicate blindness. The reason I’m involved in this as a school nurse for North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts is also involved in collecting classes for donations to help others.”
North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts art teacher Theresa West-Taylo said, “This is a classroom project I do with students each year because it carries such a great message and students are always inspired to do great work.”
“These types of workings with civic organization groups like the Lions Club is always a pleasure and projects like a Peace Contest Poster contest help students understand unity around the world,” said Dr. Douglas Santini, principal of the Academy. “They are really talking about what they think.”
You can learn more about the Peace Poster Contest at lionsclubinternational.com.
The North Fort Myers Lions Club meets at All Star Bowling Lanes on North Tamiami Trail every first and third Wednesday of the month at noon.
They are currently accepting new members.