U.S. Cellular and the Boys & Girls Club of Jefferson City this afternoon announced the winners of the 2017 Black History Month Art Contest. Aaleah, a 4th grader, was awarded first place for her portrayal of Gabby Douglas; De’Angel, a 3rd grader, was awarded second place for her portrayal of Prince; and Gillian, a 4th grader, was awarded third place for her portrayal of Maya Angelou. These young artists received a certificate and $250, $150 and $100 gift card prizes, respectively.
“We are so excited to be here today to celebrate the winners, and all of the kids who took part in this art contest, which offered us the opportunity to recognize the creativity of our kids by honoring African American leaders and celebrating our diversity,” commented Justin Skiles, store manager of the U.S. Cellular store in Jefferson City.
U.S. Cellular associates teamed up with the Boys & Girls Club of Jefferson City in early January to kick-off the art contest. Participating kids were encouraged to research past and present African American influencers, learn more about their contributions to society and submit an original 8.5” x 11” portrait of their favorite figure. A panel of judges comprised of U.S. Cellular associates and representatives of Boys & Girls Club of Jefferson City then worked one-on-one with the kids to review the creations and gain insight into the inspiration behind each child’s portrayal of these impactful figures, before determining the Top 10 finalists. These masterpieces, featuring the images of Olympian Gaby Douglas, poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou, former President Barack Obama and other influential African Americans, were then put on display inside the U.S. Cellular store at 1922 Missouri Blvd. throughout the month of February. Area residents, 18 years of age and older, were encouraged to stop by the store, during regular store hours, from Wednesday, Feb. 1 through Tuesday, Feb. 28 to vote for their favorite portraits.
“Today is an exciting day for the Boys & Girls Club as we announce the winners of the Black History Month Art Contest,” added Stephanie Johnson, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of Jefferson City. “We’re proud to partner with US Cellular on this and many other projects at the Club. Our mission is to better the lives of children and that is best accomplished when we engage volunteers and partners.”
The Black History Month Art Contest is just another example of U.S. Cellular’s commitment to the Boys & Girls Club of Jefferson City. In recent years, the wireless company has donated $20,000 to this local club, and associates continue to engage in ongoing volunteer opportunities that enable them to mentor and provide kids with hands-on learning experiences.
About U.S. Cellular
U.S. Cellular is the fifth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States, providing national network coverage and industry-leading innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago-based carrier offers coverage where the other carriers don’t and a wide range of communication services that enhance consumers’ lives, increase the competitiveness of local businesses and improve the efficiency of government operations. U.S. Cellular has the Highest Wireless Network Quality Performance in the North Central Region, according to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study, and 99 percent of customers have access to 4G LTE speeds. To learn more about U.S. Cellular, visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com. To get the latest news, promos and videos, connect with U.S. Cellular on Facebook.com/uscellular, Twitter.com/uscellular and YouTube.com/uscellularcorp.
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For more information:
Kelly Harris
314-436-9090
Kelly@hausergrouppr.com