Nixa, MO. student advances in Lions Club poster contest
By: Headliner News staff, news@ccheadliner.com
Tanner Thompson, a seventh-grade student at Nixa Junior High School, has taken the first step to becoming an internationally recognized artist by winning a local competition sponsored by the Christian County Lions Club.
Thompson’s poster was among more than 375,000 entries submitted worldwide in the 24th annual Lions International Peace Poster Contest. Lions Clubs International is sponsoring the contest to emphasize the importance of world peace to young people everywhere.
Posters were judged by the Nixa High School Art Department and Thompson’s poster was chosen for its originality, artistic merit and portrayal of the contest theme, “Children Know Peace.” Chuck Mercer at Nixa Junior High was the sponsor for the contest.
Christian County Lions Club President Fred Ravenscroft said he was impressed by the expression and creativity of the students.
“It is obvious that these young people have strong ideas about what peace means to them,” he said. “I’m so proud we were able to provide them with the opportunity to share their visions. Thompson’s poster will advance to face stiff competition through the district, multiple district and international rounds of competition if he is to be declared the international grand prize winner. Our club is cheering for Tanner as his poster advances in the competition, and we hope that his vision will ultimately be shared with others around the world.”
One grand-prize winner and 23 merit-award winners will be selected. The grand prize includes a cash award of $5,000, plus a trip for the winner and two family members to the awards ceremony at Lions Day with the United Nations. The 23 merit award winners will each receive a certificate and a cash award of $500.
At a club meeting on Oct. 18, Rick Boyce, Peace Poster contest chairperson, displayed all 34 poster entries and Thompson, with his parents watching, was presented with a $25 gift certificate as the winner on Nov. 1, by club vice-president Kevin Baker.
The first runner up, Maggie Wright, received a $15 gift certificate and Mesa Green received a $10 gift certificate for honorable mention.
View the international grand prize and merit award winners at www.lionsclubs.org. The remaining posters from this contest were exhibited at the November Board of Education meeting and now are being exhibited at Nixa Junior High School.
