Hawk Lance, a fifth-grade student at St. Ursula School in Parkville, won a national award for the Keeping Christ in Christmas poster contest sponsored by the Catholic War Veterans.
Hawk’s poster, which centered on his theme, “Without Christ, there is no Christmas,” earned him first place in the local competition, sponsored by CWV Auxiliary Post No. 766, and was forwarded to state and national competitions. Hawk earned $75 for his local win and then $100 for his national prize.
His artwork was part of a homework assignment given by his teacher at St. Ursula, Mary Ann Nietubicz. More than 30 students at the Parkville school made posters and from those a handful were submitted to the local competition, sponsored by the post based at St. Casimir Church in Canton.
“We are very tickled that one of our students won a national competition like this,” said St. Ursula Assistant Principal Kathleen Schaub. “It’s the first time that we can recall having a child win a national competition like this.”
The school held an in-class presentation Feb. 7 with Catholic War Veterans Maryland Commander Gilbert Barker and Hawk’s family (father Mike Lance, mother Anna Lance and sister Ruby Lance).
Vicky Georgetti, who helped spearhead the local competition, said Hawk’s poster captured the spirit of the theme to protect against the commercialism and secularization of Christmas.
“It was a powerful message,” Georgetti said of the winning poster, which featured images of crossed-out price tags. “For a fifth-grader to be thinking of that kind of thing is just incredible.”
Georgetti said students from St. Ursula as well as those from the faith formation group at St. Isaac Jogues in Carney submitted entries for the Maryland competition. There were 160 local entries with Hawk’s poster one of three selected to move on to the national competition. From thousands of entries throughout the nation, Hawk’s entry was judged the best of the final 12 at nationals.
Read More Schools News
Copyright © 2022 Catholic Review Media
