Oakhill learner in contest top 3

KNYSNA NEWS - For the past 30 years, Lions clubs around the world have proudly sponsored the Lions International Peace Poster contest in local schools and youth groups.

This art competition encourages young people worldwide to express their visions of peace.

Represented in over 200 countries with around 1.5-million members, Lions International certainly has a wide reach and this acclaimed contest is certainly well supported.

This year, aspiring young artists were challenged to give their creative interpretation of the theme "The Future of Peace".

Five Knysna primary schools participated, with well over 100 entries submitted by students aged 11 to 13.

According to Lions Knysna secretary Marlene Sher, there were so many beautiful posters "it was a difficult task to find winners".

One of our budding local creatives, Jemima Wilcox-Jones, an 11-year-old pupil at Oakhill Prep, took third place in the local competition with her colourful and considered poster.

Lions International awarded Jemima R500 personal prize money as well as a R1 000 contribution towards art supplies at her school.

The criteria for judging as explained by Lions International is that each poster is judged on originality, artistic merit and expression of the theme.

Jemima Wilcox-Jones created this prize-winning Lions Peace Poster.

Posters advance through several judging levels: local, district, multiple district and international.

At the international level, judges from the art, peace, youth, education and media communities select one grand prize winner and 23 merit award winners.

This year the international grand prize winner was from Thailand and received a full expenses paid trip with their guardian to the USA plus $5 000 prize money.

The certificate given to Jemima.