Fifth-grader takes third in state poster competition
Chaslee Isterling is a girl of few words, but when it comes to art, she expresses herself boldly and directly in colors.
This fifth-grader at Fruitville Elementary School has been named the third-place winner in Florida in a road safety poster contest for students in grades 3-5. Her poster, with the theme, "Cross In View. It Is The Right Thing To Do," will compete against winning entries from all the other states.
The contest was part of the National School Bus Safety Week (Oct 19-23).
Chaslee said she is excited about the win, adding that it came as a total surprise. Her friends have called her lucky, but she said she tried her best, so luck may have played only a small part.
Her school principal, Laura Kingsley, and art teacher Alma Vega vouch for something more than a flight of fancy on Chaslee’s part to take third place in the competition.
Chaslee Isterling
"This was not just an artistic poster," said Kingsley at the Sarasota County School Board meeting on Oct. 20, when Chaslee was honored for her achievement. "This was a well- researched project. This was art for authentic awareness."
What set Chaslee’s poster apart from the others was the effort she put into understanding safe bus riding practices, the Fruitville faculty members said.
"It was a simple design," said Vega, "but she portrayed the message well."
Vega used the competition as a way to help students learn about safe school bus practices, she added. (Chaslee told the Pelican Press she follows all the road rules herself.)
Chaslee said her favorite subject is art. She used crayons and markers to create the poster. Now she is waiting to see how her poster fares at the national level.
"I have never had any special training in artwork, and this is the first time I have won a competition," she said.
She received $25 for her state honor. That amount was matched by the school district’s chief operating officer, Scott Lempe.