Cooperative Living July 2024 - 26

YOUTH ART CONTEST
It's True
T
Meet the Best in Show Winner
by Laura Emery, Staff Writer
he 22nd annual
Cooperative Living
Youth Art Contest Best in Show
winner is True, daughter of Peter and
Melissa Gleich of Lexington, Va.
For the 2024 contest, kindergarten
through fifth grade students were tasked
with portraying visual interpretations
of the theme, " What I Want to Be When
I Grow Up. " The winning entry was
chosen from a wide variety of submissions by young artists
in Virginia and Maryland.
True's winning entry was an artistic depiction of her
desire to become a mother when she grows up. Her artwork
was a meticulously drawn image of an older version of herself,
tenderly holding a sleeping baby over her shoulder.
" Being a mother is an important job because you get to
raise your children to know God and to be good people when
they grow up, " 12-year-old True explains.
" The judges were very impressed with the emotion
conveyed in the image, " says Cooperative Living Editor
Gregg MacDonald.
When notified that she had won the contest's top honors,
True says she was shocked and excited. " I said, 'What??' "
she says with a giggle.
Staff members of the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware
Association of Electric Cooperatives and Old Dominion
Electric Cooperative judged the competition, which included
different categories by grade.
First place in each category received a $25 cash prize,
while True's Best in Show work earned her a $100 prize.
A rising sixth grade homeschooler, True lives with her
family on a historic farm served by BARC Electric
Cooperative. She spends her days immersed in schoolwork,
riding her horse, drawing, or tending to her pet lamb, " Little
Debbie. " True says her favorite book to read is the Bible, and
that she also enjoys playing the mandolin and gardening.
True created her artwork over several weeks using colored
pencils. " I want to be a mother when I grow up because
I love babies and taking care of them, " she says. " I had a photo
of myself that I had posed for, and I used that as inspiration.
I just tried to make myself look older in the drawing. "
Her parents were touched when they learned their
daughter's artwork won. " We're really honored that she
is being recognized, " her mother, Melissa, says. " When
24 ● Cooperative Living ●
July 2024
True first said she was going to choose being a mom as her
theme, I was thinking something more career-minded would
probably win. Because being a [stay-at-home] mother is not
always recognized as a noble choice to make. But, ultimately,
no matter what your calling, if you love God and glorify
him in what you choose to do, all the other things will fall
into place. We're proud of her for following the desires of her
heart in choosing what to draw. "
Peter and Melissa describe their daughter as having " a
genuinely sweet heart " and say she loves caring for others.
Cooperative Living started the Youth Art Contest in
2003 to encourage youthful creativity and give young artists
the opportunity to display their talents to the magazine's
monthly readers, today totaling 1.8 million.
On behalf of the magazine staff, MacDonald says the
judges were impressed with the overall imagination and talent
in this year's contest. " There were so many thoughtful
submissions depicting popular career choices, such as lawyer,
artist, doctor, nurse, scientist and teacher. We also had entries
for a zookeeper, barrel racer, preacher and hotel manager. "
MacDonald says, " To all our 2024 Youth Art Contest
contestants, thank you for taking the time to share your
artistic talent with us! " 
To view this year's Cooperative Living Youth Art
Contest entries, visit co-opliving.com.
co-opliving.com
PHOTO COURTESY GLEICH FAMILY
http://www.co-opliving.com http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living July 2024

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