July 16, 2025
Local News | MidWeek News
Local News

Catholic Daughters name contest winners

Image 1 of 2

Vanessa Coffland, local first-place winner for her art entry in Division III, is pictured with her grandmother, Mary Cumbacher, the first-place winner in Division IV for her poetry entry. Both entries were sent to the national level for judging after winning firsts at the state level. (Photo provided)

DeKALB — The Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court of Immaculate Conception 996 again is participating in the National Education Contest. The themes for 2011 are "The Light Others Give to Me" and "The Lord is My Light."

Participants compete for awards in six categories at four division levels. The categories are art, essay, poetry, computer art, music and photography. Students may choose to enter several categories, but they are allowed only entry per category and their entry must reflect the theme.

A total of 170 entries were received from 135 students.


Division I (grades 4 and 5)

Essay – Libby Swedberg, first; Jacklyn Rapp, second and Riley Herrmann, third.

Poetry – Kennedy Shelley, first; Allison Coovert, second and Eddie Deja, third.

Art – Anna Friedland, first; Elizabeth LaScala, second and Thomas Herrmann, third.

Computer art – Eli Bliujus, first; Ethan Cohen, second and Mark Ebert, third.


Division II (grades 6-8)

Essay – Jeremy Swedberg, first; Mary Rose Fair, second and Colin Purcell, third.

Poetry – Andrew Kraft, first; Annie Maleski, second and Richard Echevarria, third.

Art – Brant Krpan, first; Emma Fisher, second and Courtney Knowski, third.

Computer art – Oona Holtane, first; Courtney Wisser, second and Jessica Anger, third.

Photography – Maria Abdullah, first; Alyssa Bigelow, second and Alyssa Rogers, third.


Division III (grades 9-12)

Art – Vanessa Coffland, first.


Division IV (Catholic Daughters)

Poetry – Mary Crumbacher, first and Le Theisen, second.



All local first-place entries were submitted for judging at the state level. Only first-place entries at the state level are forwarded to the national level.

Seven entries from Catholic Daughter Court 996 received awards at the state level.

Division I – Kennedy Shelley, third for poetry; Eli Bliujus, third for computer art and Libby Swedberg, first for essay.

Division II – Jeremy Swedberg, third for essay and Oona Holtane, second for computer art.

Division III – Vanessa Coffland, first for art.

Division IV – Mary Crumbacher, first for poetry.

Libby Swedberg, Vanessa Coffland and Mary Crumbacher's entries are being judged at the national level.