Farrington student takes
top honors in national
art contest

Jade Shimabukuro of Farrington High School won first place among 12 state finalists and was one of nine national grand winners in the Art of Harmony contest.

The high school artists were recognized this month at the Mamiya Theatre at St. Louis Center for the Arts in the Coca-Cola Co. contest, which drew more than 10,000 entries from nine metropolitan areas across the United States.

Benjamin Watterson and Valerie Verceluz of Baldwin High School on Maui won second and third place. Shimabukuro received a $5,000 U.S. Savings Bond, while Watterson and Verceluz were given $3,000 and $2,000 bonds, respectively.

Shimabukuro used colored pencils to draw four children of different races for her entry. The contest theme, "Living in Harmony," means "indiscriminately accepting the diverse backgrounds and cultures of others," she said. "It means having the balance of being blind to others' differences and being totally aware of them.

COURTESY IMAGE Farrington High School's Jade Shimabukuro was one of nine national grand winners in the Art of Harmony contest. Her artwork will be displayed at the World of Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta.

Each finalist had artwork individually imprinted on the fronts of Coca-Cola vending machines that will be placed throughout their communities.

Shimabukuro's work will also be displayed at the World of Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta, the company's worldwide headquarters.

Other finalists included Wylie Duarosan of Maui High; Marie Janiszewski, Travis Morrin and Taryn Takahashi of Baldwin; Lea K. Ka'awaloa and Siera Mundon of Kamehameha; Ashley Rene Kaneko of St. Andrew's Priory; Mei Yan Liu of Roosevelt; and Arlyn Ramos of Farrington.

Wade Hondo, an art teacher at Baldwin, was recognized for the most student entries and received a computer and software for the classroom.

Students were allowed to use any medium, from paint to computer graphics, for their artwork.