Students Honored at 'Presidential Idol Arts Contest' Ceremony

PHILADELPHIA, FEB. 16, 2009 — State Sen. Mike Stack today honored nine local students for their award-winning posters depicting their favorite president during a breakfast ceremony.

State Sen. Mike Stack congratulates the student winners (from left to right) Soo Hyun Jung, Brandon Isbell, Ying Xie, Jackson Fonseca-Webb, Diallie Jessie, Linus Wallace, Sylwia Pracon, Paige Stancavage and Thomas Kahn. » more pictures

The students were selected from hundreds of entries in “State Sen. Mike Stack’s Presidential Idol Arts Contest.”

“All of the submissions were fantastic. Our students are so creative and they channeled that energy into their knowledge of history to depict their favorite president,” Stack said. “This is not only a nice way to recognize local students, but it’s also a fun way to celebrate Presidents Day.”

The winners and their families were treated to breakfast and received a certificate of achievement and a 100-dollar savings bond. The event also included a Presentation of the Colors from the Veteran Guard, Third Regiment Infantry N.G.P. and the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Col. Siegfried Honig, commander of the Veteran Guard and president of the Philadelphia Flag Day Association.

“State Sen. Mike Stack’s Presidential Idol Arts Contest,” which was open to all students in grades K-8 in the 5th Senatorial District and co-sponsored by the Philadelphia Flag Day Association, honored Presidents Day with a theme based on the popular TV singing competition “American Idol.”

“The contest was created as a way to celebrate our commanders-in-chief with the same enthusiasm that we support our favorite contestants on the TV singing competition “American Idol,” Stack said.
“After all, aren’t our presidents the original ‘American Idols’?”

Students designed posters depicting their Presidential Idol or a general Presidents Day theme.
More than 600 students participated in the contest.

A panel of judges — Joe Garbarino from the Philadelphia University for the Arts, former Congressman Bob Borski and Fox 29 News General Manager Mike Renda — selected one winner from each grade.

The winning posters will be displayed in the senator’s district office in Parkwood for the community to view.

Winners:
Kindergarten: Soo Hyun Jung,
Samuel Paley Early Learning Center
Presidential Idol: President Barack Obama

Grade 1: Brandon Isbell,
MaST Charter School
Presidential Idol: President Barack Obama

Grade 2: Jackson Fonseca-Webb,
Saint Anselm
Presidential Idol: All the Presidents

Grade 3: Linus Wallace,
Bridesburg School
Presidential Idol: President Barack Obama

Grade 4: Paige Stancavage,
Our Lady of Consolation
Presidential Idol: President John F. Kennedy

Grade 5: Ying Xie,
Edwin Forrest School
Presidential Idol: President George W. Bush

Grade 6: Diallie Jessie,
Thomas Holme School
Presidential Idol: President Barack Obama

Grade 7: Thomas Kahn,
Resurrection of Our Lord
Presidential Idol: President Thomas Jefferson

Grade 8: Sylwia Pracon,
Our Lady of Port Richmond
Presidential Idol: President John Quincy Adams

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