Winners of the 2009 Senate Education Committee Annual Report art contest show off their artwork to Senator Suzi Oppenheimer, Chair of the Education Committee.

BUDDING LOCAL ARTISTS WIN NYS SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE ART CONTEST
Students’ Work Featured in 2009 Annual Report of the Senate Committee on Education

    Senator Suzi Oppenheimer, Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Education, is pleased to announce the winners of the Committee’s 2009 Annual Report art competition.  Six local artists, ranging in age from six to nine years, were honored recently by Senator Oppenheimer at her district offices in Port Chester.

The students are:  Victoria Lema and Lola Stanisic, both age 6, who attend the Brookside Elementary School in Ossining; Richard Nioras, age 9, Sofia Scappatura, age 7, and Sabrina Vuong, age 7, who attend the BMP Ridge Street Elementary School in Rye Brook.  Gustavo Morales, age 6, who attends the Trinity School in New Rochelle, won first prize in the competition and his artwork is featured on the cover of the 2009 Education Committee Report.

Senator Oppenheimer held a pizza party celebration for the artists and their families in her district office.  The Senator awarded the winning contestants “Certificates of Artistic Merit” and gave them copies of the committee report containing their artwork.  The students’ original works of art will hang in the Senator’s conference room in Albany.

“There is no better way to remind ourselves of the critical task before us than by viewing the artwork of the children we serve,” said Senator Oppenheimer.  “The Committee report reflects the importance of the arts in celebrating the individuality and creativity of each child.  We grateful to the parents and teachers who encouraged their children to enter the contest, and we are simply amazed by the quality of the artwork submitted.”

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PHOTO CAPTION:   First row from left to right: Senator Oppenheimer held a pizza party celebration for the artists and their families in her district office.  The Senator awarded the winning contestants “Certificates of Artistic Merit” and gave them copies of the committee report containing their artwork.  The students’ original works of art will hang in the Senator’s conference room in Albany.