Media Contact:  Michael Dabney, (858) 822-3432, or Marc Chavez, (858) 822-4256

SIX STUDENT WINNERS ANNOUNCED IN UCSD
NATIVE AMERICAN MONTH ART AND ESSAY CONTEST

Six area middle school and high school students have been named winners in the first annual Native American Heritage Month art and essay contest sponsored by the University of California, San Diego.

The contest, open to all San Diego County students in grades 7 through 12, encouraged students to explore Native American culture and history during Native American Heritage Month in November. 

Winners will be officially announced to the community today at a special presentation at UCSD featuring noted Native American author and satirist Sherman Alexie.  The free event begins at 5:30 p.m. with a youth reception in the university’s Price Center Theatre, followed by Alexie’s lecture at 7 p.m.

The essay-art contest attracted entries from various geographic areas around the county, says Marc Chavez, coordinator of UCSD’s American Indian Outreach Program, which sponsored the competition with UCSD’s Early Academic Outreach Program, and the University Events Office. 

“This is our first contest in honor of Native American Heritage Month,” says Chavez, “and the second year nationally that November has been celebrated and observed as such. We appreciate the time and effort spent by all participants on entries, and especially look forward to sponsoring a similar contest next year, and to further opportunities which expose students to Native American people, their history and culture.” 

The grand prize winner in the essay category is:  Shea Maxcy, ninth grader, Fallbrook High School, who is a Cupeno/Digueno tribal native residing on the Pala Reservation.  Shea is the recipient of a $500 award for her entry detailing the “Trail of  Tears,” a local historical event in which the Cupeno and Cahuilla tribes were forced to relocate from sacred grounds by walking miles to what is now known as the Pala Reservation, north of Escondido.

First-place honors in the art category go to: Maria Gonzalez, a senior at El Cajon Valley High School, who receives $250 for her entry depicting the attributes of village life and its affect on Indian culture. In addition, her winning entry will be displayed at UCSD.

Essays had to address the following statement: Think critically about a significant event in Native American history and describe how we can learn from that event to restore and promote Native American culture and language, both as individuals and as a community.

Art entries consisted of historic and/or contemporary images created by the student which paid tribute to Native Americans and promoted Native American culture and history.

      Other winners in the essay category are:

• Second place – John Paul Konyn, seventh grade, Valley Center Middle School; $250.

• Third place – Monique Jones, senior, El Camino High School, Oceanside; $100.

Additional winners in the art category are:

• Second place – Melanie Sponselee, senior, Mount Carmel High School; $125.

• Third place – Jose Bravo, junior, El Camino High School, Oceanside; $50.

     Both art entries will also be displayed at UCSD.