Hawai‘i Agricultural Foundation contest encourages student connection to locally-sourced foods
Honolulu, HI – What locally-sourced foods do kids love? Find out this month as the winning entries from the Localicious Hawaiʻi Art & Poetry Contest are on display at the Hawai‘i State Capitol from now through Feb. 23, 2018.
In conjunction with Localicious Hawaiʻi, the Hawai‘i Agricultural Foundation (HAF) launched the Localicious Hawaiʻi Art & Poetry Contest for students in grades K – 8. Designed to expose young children to where food comes from, the Localicious Hawaiʻi Art & Poetry Contest challenged children to articulate their favorite foods made from a local product. This year’s theme was My Favorite Dish Created with a Locally Grown and Raised Crop (Including Farmed Animals).
First and second place winners (Poetry) and first, second and third place winners (Art) were selected at each grade span (K-2, 3-5, 6-8) with two grand prize winners selected in each of the two categories (art and poetry). More than 600 students have participated in the program over the last three years.
Grand prize winners receive a class party with a local celebrity chef, $100 mall shopping spree, and their work on the Localicious Hawai‘i Art Contest calendar.
Grand prize winners in each category are:
- Stesha-Lei Topinio (Art) – 1st grade, Kaiulani Elementary, Teacher Zenaida Dela Cruz
- Jaiden Sams (Poetry) – 6th grade, Waimea Canyon Middle School, Teacher Alicia Hartsell
The complete list of winners is as follows:
ART WINNERS GRADES K-2
- Jadeyn Koshiba – 2nd grade, Punahou School
- Evelyn Valdovinos – Kindergarten, Konawaena Elementary School
- Carlos Nakamoto – Kindergarten, Konawaena Elementary School
ART WINNERS GRADES 3-5
- Kenny Dias – 3rd grade, Waikiki Elementary School
- AnisaBella Cece – 5th grade, Makakilo Elementary School
- Allie Naito – 4th grade, Alvah Scott Elementary School
ART WINNERS GRADES 6-8
- Joshua Abuan – 8th grade, Kapolei Middle School
- Chloe Zentkovich – 6th grade, Mililani Middle School
- Renzo Gaoiran – 8th grade, Maui Waena Intermediate School
POETRY WINNERS GRADES K-2
- Talina Queen Richardson – 2nd grade, homeschool
- Brian Zook – 2nd grade, Na‘alehu Elementary School
POETRY WINNERS GRADES 3-5
- Ema Teifel – 4th grade, homeschool
- Ayva Bautista-Barnard – 5th grade, Ho‘okele Elementary School
Localicious Hawai‘i aims to raise public awareness of restaurants that are active supporters of the state’s agricultural industry. All proceeds raised from the promotion help fund HAF’s Veggie U, which gives fourth-grade teachers the tools they need to engage their students in interactive ag- and science-focused activities. Since the program’s launch in 2014, approximately 60 public schools and 170 classrooms statewide have received garden kits and structured curriculums.