Illinois Valley students shine at 55th Cultural Interpretation Contest

More than 75 students from the Illinois Valley took part in a Cultural Interpretation Contest on May 3 at Matthiessen Auditorium, La Salle-Peru High School said in a news release Friday.

“The contest is an excellent opportunity for students to experience culture outside the classroom,” L-P said in the release. “The contest includes categories in poetry recitation, music – vocal or instrumental, and art-replica/creative work/model.”

Students from L-P, Mendota High School and Shepherd Middle School in Ottawa participated in the 55th annual Northern Illinois Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese Cultural Interpretation Contest.

The art category had seven subcategories, and the winners are as follows:

Graphite drawing

First place: Janae Carr of MHS

Second place: KJ Gallik of L-P

Third place: Crystal Garcia of MHS

Colored pencil drawing

First place: Andrea Luaisa of L-P

Second place: Lydia Steinbach of L-P

Third place: Jocelyn Martinez of L-P

Acrylic painting

First place: Grace Newman of L-P

Second place: Victoria Campbell of L-P

Third place: Darlyn Tejada-Guardado of L-P

Mixed media

First place: Yoselin Carlos of L-P

Second place: Stephanie Casas of MHS

Third place: Jameson Hill of L-P

Fiber arts

First place: Megan Stasiak of L-P

Second place: Sophia Woods of L-P

Third place: Andrea Leyva of L-P

Watercolor

First place: Emily Castañeda of L-P

Second place: Claire Boudreau of L-P

Third place: Adalberto Castañeda of L-P

Creative art – 2D/3D

First place: Kathy Baltazar of L-P

Second place: Mia Perez of L-P

Third place: Dorina Purelku of L-P

Best of Show original art

Victoria Campbell of L-P, with “Perros Perdidos”

Best of Show

Grace Newman of L-P, with “Portrait of Antioneta Rivas Mercado”

People’s Choice Award

Stephanie Casas of L-P, with “Nadie es Ilegal en Tierra Robada MHS”

Poetry

First place: Cam Rankin of L-P

First place (native speaker): Alicia Martin Muriel of L-P

Instrumental

First place: 13-piece ensemble of SHS, (Susie Adams, Emerson Buck, Natalie Dettmann, Landon Fritz, Raidynn Fuller, Mady Govero, Landon Gustafson, Ireland Kelley, Elaina Kimes, Inara Mann, Eduardo Navarro, Ashlyn Olesen, Jace Sandoval)

Second place: Ella Lewis of MHS

Third place: Clarissa Casas of L-P

Dance

First place: Marley Escatel and Anna Riva of L-P

Second place: Ryanna Díaz, Diana González and Guliana Aguirre of L-P

Vocal

First place (nonheritage): Cam Rankin of L-P

First place (heritage): Ismael Mejia and Alonso Mandujano of L-P

Second place (heritage): Adrian Soto of L-P

Third place (heritage): Damian Cortes of L-P

Grand prize winner

Cam Rankin of L-P; he earned the highest point total by receiving first place in poetry recitation and vocal, and by participating in the art portion of the contest.