The entries are in and the results are final: eight students from Greenland Pines Elementary School, Twin Lakes Academy Middle School and Mandarin Middle School are winners in a William Bartram essay and art contest sponsored by William’s Walk at Bartram Park.
Nearly 50 students entered the contest, which required middle and high school students to write an essay on the accomplished artist, writer, botanist, gardener, ethnographer and explorer. Elementary school students were encouraged to use excerpts from Bartram’s travels, in addition to create an artistic display of things he may have encountered during his four year journey through the southeastern United States, such as flowers, plants, animals, and more.
Employees with Renaissance Creative judged the entries and announced the winners from the three participating schools:
Elementary winners
Third grade: 1st place, Cyril Johnson’s drawing of a rattlesnake; runner-up, Ashlee Branyan’s depiction of a hydrangea leaf.
Fourth grade: 1st place, Monica Banovic’s colorful map of Bartram’s journey; runner-up, Ritu Varde’s drawing of a hummingbird buzzing around a rhododendron.
Fifth grade: 1st place, Oshin Rui’s rhododendron and hummingbird portrait; runner-up, Desia Brown’s sketch of several flowers Bartram may have encountered.
Twin Lakes Academy Middle School winner: Eighth grade: 1st place, Allison Choi’s essay
Mandarin Middle School winner: 1st place: Lauren Hickox’s essay and map
For participating in the contest, every student receives a $10 gift card to Target. Middle school winners take home an iPod Shuffle. Elementary first place winners are awarded with the board game, Cranium. Elementary school runner-ups win tickets to the Jacksonville Zoo.
Participating schools will receive $250 for the improvement of their library, and a book titled, “The Flower Hunter: William Bartram, America’s First Naturalist.”