Grand Prize: The Cross of Poverty 

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"TheCross of Poverty," interactive sculpture, by Harley June Smith, St. Mary Magdalen Catholic School, Diocese of Orlando. The artist writes: "What I created was a large cross covered in flowers that has many roots of poverty that you can pull.There are also flowers with actual solutions to these problems by FOCUS leaders in my community. The grass on my artwork shows that 1 out of 6 people in the U.S. live in poverty and I have added quotes that show how our faith calls us to help those that are poor."

Photo by Valeta Orlando, Diocese of Orlando.

 

2nd Place, Grades 7-9: Povertree

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"Povertree" painting, Dodi Fredericks, Christ the King School, Diocese of Nashville. Includes "branches" made of plaster hands that illustrate causes of poverty.The artist writes: "I learned that there are many causes of poverty like bad choices, alcohol, drug abuse, bills, medical problems, no education, trouble finding jobs, and depression. … Our faith calls us to address poverty because that's what Jesus taught us to do. We are all created with dignity and worthy. We all have value because we are created in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, people in poverty should be treated as equals and given the chance to be the best they can be again."


2nd Place, Grades 10-12: Go Keen

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"Go Keen" poster, Christina Vasil, Catholic Central High School, Diocese of Albany. The artist writes:"Poverty is closer than we sometimes like to think. There are people without homes in Troy, Albany: local areas. It isn't addressed as it needs to be… The 'Go Green' movement inspired my theme, paralleling the recycling of knowledge to the recycling of resources. The message is that poverty can end if we all work together and become more concerned with the welfare of everyone, not just ourselves."

3rd Place, Grades 7-9: FACE for Social Justice

"FACE for Social Justice video," Tia and Ty Williams, St. John Vianney parish, Diocese of Honolulu. The artists write that the CCHD-funded group they featured in their video "helps address the causes of poverty by drafting bills to legislate affordable housing" and "helps negotiate withbanks to prevent foreclosure on peoples' homes… Our faith calls us to address poverty because the people in poverty are also the people of God."

*Video Coming Soon*


3rd Place, Grades 10-12: Support the Poor

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"Support the Poor" painting, Coco (Yuke) Wu, Santa Fe Catholic High School, Diocese of Orlando. The artist writes:"The hands represent those organizations or people who support the poor. The blood vessel which forms the tree represents the donation from others that provide the poor people with fundamental daily necessities. The man represents the poor people who through their effort help themselves…. By answering our baptismal call, we as a community can help poor Americans to help themselves and their communities out of poverty by creating jobs, building affordable housing, fighting crimes, and improving schools and neighborhoods."


4th Place: Hands of Hope

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"Hands of Hope" sculpture, Matthew Simeon, St. Stephen School, 7th-9th grade, Diocese of St. Petersburg. The artist writes: "No matter what outward appearance a person has, either well-dressed or tattered, many people in today's economy are living below the poverty line, but there is still hope for all." The sculpture illustrates how Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality, a CCHD-funded group, works "to hold officials accountable to improve the system and improve the quality of life in the community."

 

Honorable Mention: Uprooting Poverty

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"Uprooting Poverty" diorama, Isaac Bass, Brock Pelton, and Matthew Milewski, Sacred Heart School, 8th grade, Diocese of Madison. The artists, who learned about CCHD-funded group Ridge and Valley Growers Association, write: the tree represents poverty and the tractors represents all people "working together to uproot and pull out poverty."

 

Honorable Mention: Reach for the Stars

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"Reach for the Stars (Second Change Sock Collage)," Francesca Modoff, St. Gabriel's Catholic School, 7th grade, Diocese of Austin. Uses a sock from the artist's "lost sock drawer" to illustrate that everyone deserves a second chance because of the human dignity that all people possess.The artist writes:"I learned that anyone can be the face of poverty. Some, more obvious than others. Not everyone in poverty are drug addicts or alcoholics. It can be caused by anything. You could be born into poverty or it could be caused by coming back from the army (veterans). … Faith calls us to address poverty because everyone deserves human dignity and we should all have a second chance in life. … I made the person out of socks from my lost sock drawer. When I came across my lost sock drawer, I remembered that I kept them there in hopes of finding the other pair to make them complete. I chose to give them a second chance like we should give people in poverty a second chance at a better life."

 

Honorable Mention: Digging Up Issues of Poverty

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"Digging Up Issues of Poverty," Gina Vale Cruz, St. Jude the Apostle Catholic School, 8th grade, Archdiocese of Atlanta. Shows a flower representing poverty and its leaves, the issues facing those in poverty, such as lack of education or employment.The artist writes: "Since my participation in this contest, I have learned of the severe conditions and heart-rending decisions of millions of families, including the forty-six million people in the United States living in poverty. … The artwork drawing portrays flowers representing poverty and its leaves as the issues facing those in poverty. From a distance, one would notice the flower's beauty, but as one searches further, they see the dangerous thorns and ugly spines covering it. As a trowel, with the themes a Catholic should comply by written on top, digs into the dirt, it begins uprooting the sources of poverty."

 

Honorable Mention: We Are Better Together

"We are Better Together," digital painting video, Helen Pham, 11th grade, Mount de Sales Academy, Diocese of Savannah. The artist writes: "We are called to be aware of poverty in order to help those struggling… As a family of God, we must come together to develop ways to improve the lives of those in poverty."

*Video Coming Soon*