Jimmy Carter Art and Essay contest: Read, Grow, Succeed

Art imitates life: Jimmy Carter’s legacy shines through GCPS students

This school year, students in the Norcross and Meadowcreek clusters honored the life and legacy of the late former President Jimmy Carter by entering the Jimmy Carter Art and Essay Competition.

The competition encouraged students to express how Carter’s dedication to service has impacted them, through Art or Written Media. President Carter was renowned for his commitment to humanity, his efforts to eradicate diseases, and his ability to resolve problems with diplomacy.

The committee of judges, made up of community partners and GCPS staff, selected 39 winners, as President Carter was the 39th President of the United States. Students’ work was scored based on creativity, connection to Carter’s legacy, and quality of execution (based on grade level).

“Partnering with the county to elevate our students and celebrate Jimmy Carter has been a powerful experience with lasting impact,” says K-5 Director of Language Arts and Literacy, Julie Erdmann. “It gave students a chance to connect with a historic Georgia figure through their own words, building pride, purpose, and confidence in their writing. Who knows, maybe one of them will be the next great journalist or author, inspired by this very opportunity.”

The work of the Grand Prize winners will be displayed at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta. The remaining 36 honorable mentions will be displayed at Gwinnett locations and on the Gwinnett County Government social media platforms. 

At the official Jimmy Carter Day celebration at Best Friend Park in Norcross, Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) students were recognized among county, state, and local officials and community partners for their outstanding work. Students also had their work displayed for guests to admire.

The winners are as follows:

 

Sheyla Argueta-Leal

“I have had the privilege of teaching Sheyla for the past two years, and during that time I have seen her creativity develop into a true passion,” says Sheyla’s Fine Arts teacher, Linn Zamora. “Her research for this project was both intentional and meaningful, and it was inspiring to watch her apply the skills she has cultivated in class. I am extremely proud of her accomplishments and confident she will continue to grow as an artist and contribute to Georgia’s thriving creative industries.”

Sheyla describes her piece as reflective, meaningful, and inspiring.

“I was inspired by Jimmy Carter’s lifelong dedication to peace, service, and leadership,” says Sheyla. “I wanted to create a portrait that not only showed who he was but also included symbols of his achievements, like the Nobel Peace Prize, Habitat for Humanity, and his Georgia roots, to represent his impact on the world.”

 

Barbara Cabrera

“Barbara is a wonderful student who not only focuses on her own work but also thinks of others,” says Instructional Coach Georgia O’Connor. “While preparing for the contest, she showed how collaborative she is by sharing many ideas with her mom and friends. She worked tirelessly on her art and was extremely thoughtful about every detail she included in her design. It was a delight to see her creative work develop into the final piece.”

Barbara aspires to be a leader, like President Carter, by being helpful in her school community.

“I want to help the students at my school with math and understanding both Spanish and English,” says Barbara. “Some teachers don't know how to speak Spanish, so I want to help my friends so that they can get good grades in school.”

 

Brielle Boahima

“It feels really good to win for celebrating President Carter because he contributed so much to our state and country,” says Brielle. “His contributions and humanitarian work are most inspirational. I have admired his contributions to our state and country for years. Throughout his life, he focused on helping others, and no matter the circumstances, he worked hard to support his community. I appreciate everything he did, and I am honored to celebrate him.”

GCPS extends its congratulations to all the winners!

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Grand Prize Winners = *

School	Student
Graves Elementary School	Sanaa Kurji
Graves Elementary School	Erin England
Graves Elementary School	Donnie Stallings
Graves Elementary School	Kieran Bailey
McClure Health Science High School	Sheyla Argueta-Leal*
McClure Health Science High School	Lizeth Rodriguez-Arevalo
McClure Health Science High School	Thanh Do
McClure Health Science High School	Itzel Gomez
McClure Health Science High School	Keila Arce-Garcia
McClure Health Science High School	MaryCarmen Garcia Vargas
McClure Health Science High School	Miranda Rodriguez-Lopez
McClure Health Science High School	Ashley Jasso
McClure Health Science High School	Inela Bosnjak
McClure Health Science High School	Alexander Lopez-Gonzalez
McClure Health Science High School	Umaiza Ahmed
McClure Health Science High School	Amir Colunga-Escamilla
McClure Health Science High School	Stephanie Maldonado
McClure Health Science High School	Jocelyn Espejo-Velazques
McClure Health Science High School	Obed Acosta
McClure Health Science High School	Lizbeth Flores-Silva
McClure Health Science High School	Ayah Syedha
McClure Health Science High School	Aura Otero Orozco
Norcross High School	Lauren Abouchar
Norcross High School	Tien Nguyen
Norcross High School	Sara Ngo
Paul Duke STEM High School	Brielle Boahima*
Paul Duke STEM High School	Victoria Bowden
Rockbridge Elementary School	Barbara Cabrera*
Rockbridge Elementary School	Joshua Jimenez Diaz
Rockbridge Elementary School	Cecilia Altair Campos Aleman
Rockbridge Elementary School	Angelen Gonzalez-Perez
Rockbridge Elementary School	Alice Cho
Rockbridge Elementary School	Wilson Portillo Crisostomo
Rockbridge Elementary School	Maynor Gonzalez-Mendez
Rockbridge Elementary School	Leo Montesdeoca Oviedo
Rockbridge Elementary School	Ricardo Bertran
Rockbridge Elementary School	Aitana Prado Correa
Rockbridge Elementary School	Emily Martinez
Rockbridge Elementary School	Alexi Patino Espino