Judges Select Winners of Julianna V. Bolt Art Contest to be Recognized at Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Breakfast, January 18

Posted by: admin on December 16, 2015, No Comments

judgesVolunteers from the community and East Stroudsburg University judged artwork submitted from high school students in Monroe County as part of the Julianna V. Bolt Art Contest on Tuesday, December 15, 2015. Kirsten McCorquodale from Stroudsburg High School won first place, Ellis Rowland from Stroudsburg High School earned second place and Rachel Bezenyon from Pleasant Valley High School was awarded third place. The winners will be recognized at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Breakfast on Monday, January 18, 2016, from 8 to 10 a.m. in ESU’s Mattioli Recreation Center.

Place winners, who are invited to the breakfast, will receive sweatshirts that have been donated by the ESU bookstore. The winner will be awarded an additional gift supplied by Wayne Bolt, who is a proud sponsor of the breakfast and husband of the late Julianna Bolt, for whom the art contest is named.

The contest originally began as an essay contest in 2000, but transitioned a few years later to an art contest. There were 60 entries this year.

“We wanted to make it more fun,” MLK Celebration Breakfast committee member Geryl Kinsel said. “An essay contest seemed like homework for the kids.”

For those interested in attending the breakfast, which is open to the public and the ESU community, reservations are currently being accepted. To purchase or reserve tickets for this event, please call 570-422-3156, or visit www.esu.edu/MLK. Tickets are $40 for adults and $15 for students. Proceeds will benefit the Gertrude Mary Smith Boddie Scholarship Fund, which provides financial assistance to undergraduate students of color at ESU.

In 1904 Boddie was the first African-American student to graduate from what was then known as East Stroudsburg State Normal School and later became East Stroudsburg University in 1983.

As a result of the breakfast, three Boddie Scholarship awardees will each receive a scholarship award for the Spring 2016 semester. Winners are selected based on their ability to demonstrate, through community service or university involvement, a commitment to Dr. King’s philosophy of non-violence, equality, justice, cultural diversity and respect for humanity.

Three Martin Luther King Jr. awards will also be presented. Winners will exemplify characteristics of Dr. King’s philosophy of non-violence, equality, justice, cultural diversity and respect for humanity.

Breakfast organizers are also asking regional businesses to consider sponsoring this event. For more information, call 570-422-7000.