Inspirational
Grade-schooler shines in Japan-based art contest
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Feb 9, 2010 - 9:51:21 PM

MANILA, Feb. 10 (PNA) -- A Grade VI student is the latest Filipino to make the country proud by winning an illustrated diary-making contest sponsored by the Japan-based Mitsubishi Asian Children’s Enikki Festa.

Vance Galvin Tangcueco, a Grade VI pupil of St. Jude Catholic School, Manila, is the country’s Grand Prix winner in the event which is held every two years.

He received US$ 2,000 as prize, a medal and a plaque.

Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Jesli Lapus, who personally awarded the winners recently, said that the entire department is proud of the student's accomplishments.

“This latest award shows that Filipino students are all-around performers who can compete head-to-head with other world talents,” added Lapus.

With the theme, “Here is My Life,” the art contest aims to offer Asian children the opportunity to make friends through “Enikki” (or illustrated diaries).

Participants in this contest are public and private elementary school children aged 6-12. They showed other children in Asia how they enjoy their daily life by means of a five-day illustrated diary.

The Festa featured the illustrated diaries of children from 24 countries throughout Asia.

In winning the contest, the National Screening Committee in each participating country sends selected entries to Japan where an International Screening Committee selects the final winners from each country.

One entry from each of the 24 countries will receive the Grand Prix Award, two entries for the Organizers’ Award and five entries for the Excellence Award.

Tangcueco said his outputs are usually based from his own experiences, adding that he likes to use nature as his subject. “I want to preserve the beauty of nature through this art form which we all know continues to deteriorate,” he explained.

His advice to fellow students who are also artistically inclined: “If criticized, never give up no matter how bad the criticisms are. Learn from others’ criticisms, they criticize you for you to improve”

Lapus calls on the young children to continue developing their art skills.

“Education should be holistic. Students should be multi-talented, versatile and complete,” said Lapus.

The other Filipino winners who received commemorative gifts aere Trisha Co Reyes of St. Stephen’s High School in Manila, Rocky Inawasan of Malinao Elementary School in Aklan, Jerrika Shi of St. Jude Catholic School in Manila, Jade Maxiell de Felipe of Sto. Tomas Central Elementary School in Davao del Norte, and Justine Kaye Solano of Diliman Preparatory School in Quezon City.

Meanwhile, the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan awardee is Veronica Gayle Tangcueco of St. Jude Catholic School in Manila while the Mitsubishi Public Affairs Committee awardee is Judy Ann Landicho of Paaralang Elementarya ng Ajos in Quezon Province.