Helping WCPS share greetings for Christmas
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on December 24, 2014 1:46 PM
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Mackenzie Jones, right, a student at Norwayne Middle School, submitted a drawing that was selected to be used as the Christmas card to be sent out by the Wayne County Public Schools. She is shown with her art teacher, Robbie Lancaster. Each year, the district chooses student artwork for the cover of the superintendent's holiday card.
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Mackenzie's winning design
Mackenzie Jones had no idea her colored pencil drawing of a snowman surrounded by blue-tipped snowflakes would be chosen for this year's Christmas card sent out by Wayne County Public Schools.
She simply likes to draw, so when her art teacher at Norwayne Middle School, Robbie Lancaster, invited students to create a holiday-themed design, she responded.
The eighth-grader was unaware there was a contest for the superintendent's holiday card until later, she said, when her teacher informed her that the drawing would be entered into the competition against other district schools.
Each year, the school system chooses student artwork for the cover of the Superintendent's Holiday Card on a rotational basis -- elementary, middle and high schools. Drawings are judged at the school level, with one winner submitted to the central office. The superintendent then judges the finalists.
This year the competition was among the middle schools. Dr. Sandra McCullen, interim superintendent, chose Mackenzie's submission to be replicated on the card being mailed out.
"I was excited," Mackenzie said. "The teacher told me and then I heard my name on the announcements, and the principal gave me a Principal's Award bracelet."
This was not the first time her artwork had gained recognition. Earlier in the fall, she and some classmates had an entry in the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair, which earned a second place ribbon.
"I just do it for fun," she said.
The school's media coordinator, Rhonda Nichols, said Mackenzie's talent goes beyond being a hobby.
"We know she excels at this," she said. "She's a little shy about it but she's one of our top artists. I see her in the art world. I foresee great things from her."
Mackenzie's future aspirations aren't centered around artistic endeavors, but she has given it some consideration, she said.
"I want to be an orthodontist but sometimes I think I want to be an art teacher," she said.
In addition to Miss Jones, the other eight finalists included Ceara Miracle, an eighth-grader at Rosewood Middle; Shaquabia Rose, a Dillard Middle School eighth-grader; Jay'la Sanchez, eighth-grader at Greenwood Middle; Diego Flores, seventh-grader at Brogden Middle; Eileen Martinez, eighth-grader at Mount Olive Middle; Alexis Abbondanza, eighth-grader at Eastern Wayne Middle; Jose Estaban, Spring Creek Middle seventh-grader; and Xavious Speight, Grantham seventh-grader.