RIVERSIDE
- Sherman Indian High School students beamed with pride when they
found out they would share their heritage with visitors and residents
of Los Angeles.
KNBC-TV weatherman Christopher Nance announced
Thursday that the students had won a contest to design an angel
that will be included in "A Community of Angels," a public
art program. The announcement was made during a live news broadcast.
The contest was sponsored by the station.
"The buzz around campus is how excited
the students are, but I don't think they have fully absorbed the
news yet," Principal Kathleen Silvas said.
Sherman was chosen out of more than 40
high school entrants. The judging committee of six art educators
and museum representatives said they liked the way the design worked
in a theme that unified all of the images and colors.
"There was a sense of being complete
and unified. The design speaks from the heart and soul of the native
people," KNBC-TV spokeswoman Erin Dittman said of the committee's
choice.
The program, which debuted last year,
features life-size angel statues decorated by emerging and established
artists. The angels are placed throughout Los Angeles to celebrate
the City of Angels' namesake and raise funds for youth programs
of the Volunteers of America.
The students received a 6-foot-6-inch
fiberglass angel to paint their winning design upon. Their design
is a collage of Native American creation themes such as the solar
system, the five elements and other symbols.
"The template is a collaboration
of the students' artwork and ideas," said Monica L. Royalty,
the school's art teacher. "They tried to incorporate the ethic
amongst more than 105 different tribes."
More than 15 students will help paint
the angel. Along with 199 others, the angel will be unveiled next
month in Los Angeles. They will be available for viewing until September.
Royalty said the art students are always
doing murals all over the campus, so getting the angel painted within
the next couple of weeks shouldn't be a problem.
When the angel exhibit ends, the Sherman
Indian High School angel will be auctioned and proceeds will go
to the charity of their choice.
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