Programs in Action
Art Contest Attracts 400+ Entries
More than 400 students submitted entries to Committee for Children’s art contest, which invited students to create a piece of art inspired by what they’ve learned in the SECOND STEP program. Selected by the judges as winning entries were in each division were:
Pre-kindergarten/kindergarten (Pre K/K): “Sharing,” by Caden Showalter, a student at Hi-Plains Elementary in Flager, CO
Elementary: “Anger,” by Meda Mikalauskas, a student at Lincoln School in Brookfield, IL.
Middle school: “State of Mind,” by Sarat Muraina, a student at Mount de Sales Academy in Macon, GA.
All three students won $250 from Committee for Children, the Seattle, WA-based nonprofit that produces the SECOND STEP program. Their teachers received a social and emotional library of resources in recognition of their students’ winning entry.
THE SECOND STEP program helps students learn and practice vital social skills, such as empathy, emotion management, problem solving, and cooperation. These essential life skills help students in the classroom, on the playground, and at home.
Caden, a student in Peg Henry’s class, won the Pre K/K division in the SECOND STEP Art Contest with crayon drawing entitled “Sharing,” which shows three children on a two-seat swingset. Two of the children are sharing the same swing, while the third child is alone. A big bright sun oversees the happy children.
Meda, 10, a student in Monica Bode’s class, won the elementary grades division in the art contest with a crayon and watercolor artwork depicting a frazzled girl thinking, “My room is a mess and my brother is reading my diary.” It is accompanied by a list of SECOND STEP skills she learned to help her cope with the situation.
Sarat, 13, a student in Patty Kallay’s class, won the contest’s middle school division with a multimedia artwork entitled “State of Mind,” which depicts a girl thinking “hot thoughts and cool thoughts.” The “hot thoughts” are such things as gossip, labeling, and anger. The “cool thoughts” include point of view and acts of kindness. The girl’s expression depicts how these thoughts might affect her.
A nonprofit leader in the field of social and emotional learning, Committee for Children publishes the SECOND STEP program and three other programs that advance the social, intellectual, and physical well-being of children. These evidence-based prevention programs reach more than 7 million children in 21 countries and 25,000 schools around the world. The art contest is part of Committee for Children’s 30th anniversary observance.
