Palm Beach County schools reveal winners of 2022 greeting card contest

A holiday tradition is alive and well in Palm Beach County schools.

Every year, students wield markers, paint brushes and colored pencils to make a greeting card that shows off their creativity and celebrates the festive season in Florida.

And the seventh annual Superintendent’s Greeting Card Contest was no exception. Nearly 150 students offered their unique designs, giving the competition's judge, Superintendent Mike Burke, plenty to consider.

“We have some amazing artists throughout our schools,” Burke said. “I was struck by the professional grade of the artwork. My childhood drawings relied heavily on stick figures, but these young artists could be working for Hallmark. Selecting the three finalists was very difficult.”

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The best part, he said, was meeting the artists during a Dec. 14 school board meeting. One by one, this year’s three winners — each from an elementary, middle or high school — shook hands with the board members and the superintendent.

Camille Zambrano, a fifth-grader at Palm Beach Public in Palm Beach, won the elementary category for her rendition of a holiday manatee.

“It was great just to be acknowledged by everyone,” she said after the meeting.

The manatee is joined by a pine cone and two burgundy ornaments hanging from a Christmas tree. Around its flipper is a yellow bow.

“Almost like the manatee is a present," Camille said, going on to thank her art teacher, Jennifer Petti, for guiding her through the process.

"She did an amazing job capturing the gentle spirit of one of Florida’s threatened species," Petti said. "The detail work of the manatee whiskers, the pine cone and the tree needles show Camille’s attention to detail and artistic ability."

Zarah Lee, a seventh-grader at Crestwood Middle School in Royal Palm Beach, won the contest with her drawing of a "snowman" built from sand and decorated with colorful lights. She entered the competition with help from her art teacher, Patricia Duebber.

“I was nervous," Zarah said, recalling her moment in the spotlight. "I’ve never met a board member before, but it was fun.”

And ninth-grader Abigail Lopez, a student at John I. Leonard High School in Greenacres, won her the competition with a drawing of two very merry sea creatures.

Lopez said she wanted to honor Florida wildlife and avoid the obvious: an alligator.

So she drew a pair of turtles, one donning antlers and the other wearing a Santa hat. The turtles are pictured swimming through cyan-colored water as holiday lights glimmer in the background.

"Words cannot describe how proud I am of Abigail and the rest of my students," said Natasha Van der Kamp, her art teacher.

"My students work incredibly hard on their art illustrations," she continued. "I try to showcase their artwork in the community and share the exceptional talent that we have here at John I Leonard. It is heartwarming to see that their artwork is recognized and appreciated."

The school district provided all of the winners and their teachers with a printed set of greeting cards. School board members, principals and community partners also received a set.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Who won Palm Beach County schools' holiday greeting card contest?