Eleven-year-old artist advances

By Meg Olson

Myriah Collins, a fifth grade student at Blaine elementary school has taken the first step to becoming an internationally-recognized artist, winning a local competition sponsored by the Birch Bay Lions Club.

“I want us to give peace a chance,” said the 11-year-old Blaine resident as she described her poster which shows all varieties of hands making the peace symbol. Of the seven posters created by students from the Blaine Boys and Girls Club, Myriah’s entry was judged the best for its originality, artistic merit and portrayal of the contest’s theme, “Dreaming of Peace” according to Randy Kirk, Blaine Boys and Girls Club director.

Birch Bay Lions Club president Kathy Berg said she was impressed by the amount of effort Collins put into her poster. At the November 7 meeting of the Birch Bay Lions Club, Collins was honored for her achievement while her mother Cathy Collins and her sister Alannah looked on. Patricia Alesse, Birch Bay Lions Poster chairman, presented her with a $75 Savings Bond and a $25 C Shop gift certificate from the Birch Bay Lions. Berg gave her an award certificate from Lions Clubs International.

Collins now advances to the second round of district competition in Bellingham where her poster will compete against many other local Peace Poster contest winners. She will face stiff competition through the district round and in three more rounds of international competition if she is to be declared the international grand prizewinner. Collins’ poster is among 325,000 entries submitted world wide in the 15th annual Lions International Peace Poster Contest.

Lions Clubs International is sponsoring the contest to emphasize the importance of world peace to young people everywhere. Ultimately one grand prizewinner will be selected from 24 international finalists. The grand prizewinner will receive an all-expense paid trip with two family members to New York City for the awards ceremony at Lions Day with the United Nations in February or March 2003. At the grand prize ceremony the winner will receive an engraved plaque and a cash award of $2500. The remaining 23 finalists will each receive certificates and a cash award of $500. “We’re cheering for Myriah as her poster advances in the competition,” Alesse said..
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