THE CHRISTOPHERS ANNOUNCE WINNERS OF TWO STUDENT CONTESTS WITH THEME "ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE"

NEW YORK, May 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Christophers announced the winners of two student contests in which entrants were asked to create a submission that communicates the belief that one person can make a difference.

More than 500 entries were received in the 33^rd annual Christophers Poster Contest, open to high school students nationwide and more than 100 entries came in for the 35^th annual Christophers Video Contest, open to college students worldwide. 

"Our winning entries this year highlight some truly exceptional individuals who go above and beyond to make a difference," said Tony Rossi, The Christophers' Director of Communications, and Sarah E. Holinski, The Christophers' Youth Coordinator. "They convey the importance of reaching out to others in a variety of ways, but no matter the means of communication, one underlying truth remains—the language of love is universal."

The first prize winner in the Christophers Poster Contest, Lea Millanini, is a senior at Wylie E. Groves High School in Beverly Hills, MI, cites the violin as a key "constant" in her life, always "showing her the light of the world, even when she felt surrounded by darkness."  Her poster is a black and white photo of a landscape featuring Lea holding her instrument with one hand and pointing it up towards the sky, with a burst of light blooming from the neck of the violin, along with a large heart outlined in yellow. The caption reads, "You Can Make a Difference…Let Your Heart Lead the Way."

The second-prize poster, by Hannah Macbeth, a sophomore at Ridgepoint High School in Missouri City,TX, is a photo portraying a heartwarming gesture—several high school students kneeling in a cemetery assembling green and red Christmas wreaths to place on the graves. The message of the poster reminds its viewers, "You can make a difference…together with kindness." The picture emphasizes the importance of honoring those who came before us, and working hard to ensure their lives and memories are never forgotten.

There was a tie for third place. The charitable work of one of the two third-prize winners, Anastasia Griesbauer, homeschooled in Troy, MO, speaks to the significance of remembering the older generation we are still fortunate enough to have with us. Her collage of pictures depicts young volunteers and nursing home residents. Written between the photos are the words, "You Can Make a Difference…Caring for the Elderly."

Tied for third place is Madison Nguyen, a senjor at Ridge Point High School in Missouri Point, TX.  Her poster is a photo showing two students looking cheerfully at the camera while signing with their right hands. Written across the photograph are the words, "Spread Love through Language…You Can Make a Difference."  

"Learning American Sign Language opened up a new perspective into my life," she said. "We should all embrace our differences, whether they be language or any other kind of barriers, and utilize them to love one another." 

Justin Whittingham, a film and television production major at Loyola Marymount College in Los Angeles, won first prize in the Christophers Video Contest with a tribute to his mother entitled "Faith—Physics in Elementary School Education." Justin shows how Faith imparts her scientific knowledge to students in the Seminole County (Florida) Public School District by traveling to them and teaching on a "physics bus," actually a retired school bus refitted as a physics lab.

"I've always thought of education as a kid comes to you with a toolbelt with no tools in it, and my job is to put the tools in the toolbelt," Whittingham noted in the film.  "And it's so cool when you see a student leave school, and you see the tools that you helped to put in that toolbelt." 

Second place winner Heather Jost, a student at Oxford University in England, showcases teaching language in her video entitled "Connection to Make a Multiplying Difference."  She spent much of the past six years teaching English in the Sahrawi refugee camps in the southwestern corner of Algeria.  "I always desired a career that challenged me culturally and allowed me to step into the lives of people who saw the world differently than me," she said. "I wanted to serve those who God asked me to serve, and also satisfy my interests in anthropology, culture and language."

In her third prize-winning video titled "Nourish America: End Hunger For All," Shreya Shivakumar, a political science major at Barnard College in New York, conveys how hard she has worked to cultivate her own nonprofit Nourish America for the benefit of not only her own community, but other neighboring communities as well.

"For the past three years, I have been involved in fighting food insecurity through Nourish America," Shreya said in her video.  "The greatest aspect of my service work is interacting directly with families. I learned that 120 refugee families were struggling with food insecurity due to the coronavirus lockdown, so I led my team to host a virtual benefit concert to support the families with over 800 pounds of groceries."  She also founded Allergies for Kids, an initiative to educate children about food allergy safety. She held food allergy education webinars for 430 children across 16 states.

A non-profit organization founded in 1945, The Christophers uses mass media to encourage all individuals to make a positive difference in the world, as expressed in the Christopher motto: "It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness."

SOURCE The Christophers