November 28, 2001

Media Contact: Michael Dabney, (858) 822-3432

Six area middle school and high school students have been named winners in the Native American Heritage Month art and essay contest, a competition sponsored by the University of California, San Diego.

The contest, open to all San Diego County students in grades 7 through 12, encouraged students to learn more about Native American culture and history during Native American Heritage Month in November.

Winners will be officially announced to the community Thursday, November 29 at a special presentation at UCSD featuring noted Native American author and satirist Sherman Alexie. The free event begins at 5:30 p.m. with a youth reception in the university's Price Center Theatre, followed by Alexie's lecture at 7 p.m.

The essay-art contest attracted entries from various geographic areas around the county, says Marc Chavez, coordinator of UCSD's American Indian Outreach Program which sponsored the competition with UCSD's Early Academic Outreach Program, and the University Events Office.

"This is our first contest in honor of Native American Heritage Month," says Chavez, "and the second year nationally that November has been celebrated as such. We appreciate the time and effort spent by all participants on entries, and especially look forward to sponsoring a similar contest next year, and to opportunities which expose students to Native American people and their story."

Winners were selected by a panel of judges from UCSD and the community. Essays had to address the following statement: Think critically about a significant event in Native American history and describe how we can learn from that event to restore and promote Native American culture and language, both as individuals and as a community.

Art entries consisted of historic and/or contemporary images created by the student which paid tribute to Native Americans and promoted Native American culture and history.

The grand prize winner in the essay category is: Shea Maxcy, ninth grader, Fallbrook High School, and a Cupeno/Digueno tribal native residing on the Pala Reservation. Shea is the recipient of a $500 award for her entry detailing the "Trail of Tears," a local historical event in which the Cupeno and Cahuilla tribes were forced to relocate from sacred grounds by walking miles to what is now known as the Pala Reservation, north of Escondido.

First-place honors in the art category go to: Maria Gonzalez, a senior at El Cajon Valley High School, who receives $250 for her entry depicting the attributes of village life and its affect on Indian culture. In addition, her winning entry will be displayed at UCSD.

Other winners in the essay category are:

Additional winners in the art category are:

Both art entries will also be displayed at UCSD.