2013 Teen Summer Reading Art Contest Winner Announced

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Washington County Libraries Award Student Kait Baird Top Honors

Washington County, Oregon: The Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS) is proud to announce the winner of the 2013 Teen Summer Reading Art Contest: Kait Baird. A ninth-grader at the Beaverton School District’s Arts and Communication Magnet Academy, Kait has been awarded top honors for her unique water color design depicting a person catching fish with very special bait: a book! Her design will be the focal point of the countywide Teen Summer Reading publicity this summer - appearing in all print and web-based promotional material.

The 2013 teen art contest marks the fourth year that WCCLS has encouraged young artists to submit original designs representative of the library’s summer reading theme. This year over 40 pieces of artwork were submitted at the public libraries in Washington County during the months of January and February. In mid-March a panel of teen librarians met to review feedback on the submissions collected from local Teen Library Councils. The consensus was unanimous - Kait Baird’s piece best represented the 2013 Summer Reading Program and its theme of “Beneath the Surface".

Kait is not new to success with the WCCLS Teen Summer Reading Art Contest. In both 2011 and 2012 contests she was awarded Honorable Mention for her work. According to Rick Samuelson, Youth Services Librarian with WCCLS, “it has been a real treat watching Kait’s artistic style develop over the past few years - she is quite a young talent!”

As the first place winner Kait receives a $150 gift card to Powell’s Books. The second Place and Honorable Mention winners will each receive gift cards for Dick Blick Art Materials.

2013 Teen Summer Reading Art Contest winners:

• 1st Place: Kait Baird (Arts & Communication Magnet Academy)
• 2nd Place: Zoe Ahrendt (Liberty High School)
• Honorable Mention: Ashleigh Imwalle (Tigard High School)
  

Mark your calendar - the 2013 summer reading website goes live on May 1st. Many exciting events and programs are planned at our 15 member libraries. The program officially kicks off on June 1st and runs through the summer months.

Note: to receive a high resolution .jpg of the winning artwork please email [email protected]. Low resolution versions of the winners submissions may be viewed on our web site.

The Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS) includes: Banks Public Library, Beaverton City Library, Beaverton City Library @ Murray Scholls, Cedar Mill Community Library, Cedar Mill Community Library @ Bethany, Cornelius Public Library, Forest Grove City Library, Garden Home Community Library, Hillsboro Public Libraries (Main and Shute Park), North Plains Public Library, Sherwood Public Library, Tigard Public Library, Tualatin Public Library, and West Slope Community Library. Two specialty libraries are also a part of the Cooperatives library card service — the Oregon College of Art & Craft and the Tuality Health Education Resource Center.

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