Arts Unlimited honors contest winners
Brock won first place in the Daily Herald Community Art & Writing Contest, held in conjunction with Arts Unlimited, the monthlong celebration of the arts at all six Northwest Suburban High School District 214 schools.
Her winning prose entry, “Marjani,” ran Tuesday in the Daily Herald and on Wednesday, Brock and eight other community contest winners received certificates for their work at an Arts Unlimited reception, held at Forest View Educational Center in Arlington Heights.
“I've entered my students into essay contests the last two years, and they've won first and second place,” says Brock, who teaches at St. Thomas of Canterbury School in Chicago. “I figured if I'm such a good editor and teacher, then I could do this.
“I started writing at Christmas,” she added, “and now I can't stop.”
Brock and Tabinda Bashir of Rolling Meadows, the second place prose winner, were the only adults acknowledged at the reception. Simon Campos, a senior at Buffalo Grove High School, took third place in prose for his story, “The Next Day.”
“I've been told that I express myself well in writing, but I don't think of myself as a writer,” said Campos, who composed his piece for a creative writing assignment. “I'm usually associated with orchestra and band, so I'm very honored to receive this. And I want to encourage people that they don't need to be just one thing.”
Former Rolling Meadows High School English teacher, Bill Leece, judged the prose essays, while Jeff Arena returned to judge the poetry and Jenn Cooper judged art entries. In all, more than 100 submissions were turned in, which was more than in prior years, said Liz Schrenk, Arts Unlimited coordinator.
For the community contest, the judges evaluated works blindly, not knowing their identities or ages.
“All of the writing was marvelous,” Leece said. “They were fresh, innovative, with imagery and sentences that just made me want to slam on the brakes when I read them.”
The afternoon reception also recognized 12 students from each of the District 214 schools, whose work in prose, poetry and art was selected for the annual Arts Unlimited Anthology magazine.
In between the introduction of winners, came a range of fine arts performances from each school, from hip hop dancing to the Wheeling High School jazz combo to Rolling Meadows violinist Melissa Priller.
The Arlington Heights teen performed last of the students and she drew a hushed silence as she played a dramatic interpretation of “Polonaise de Concert,” by Henryk Wieniawski, accompanied by Thomas Zeman.
Finally, longtime District 214 board member, William Dussling, was given the Friend of the Arts award from Associate Superintendent Rosemary Pinnick.
“Bill's constant presence at District 214 fine arts events is legendary,” Pinnick said. “Each year, he attends more than 50 fine and performing arts programs.”