2020-2021

Kansas City Winners

Elementary School

Juliet’s Artist Statement: “I was inspired to tackle the question “How can you and your family keep warm in a blizzard?” because it was a cold, snowy day when I first read about this competition. In my artwork, I am trying tell people that it’s important to dress in layers to stay warm in the cold. I drew a boy and a girl with warm, layers of clothing. To tell people what specific clothes they should wear, I decided to draw something in the middle that made it easy to understand. Also, I made sure it is very easy to see from far away because it may be printed on a truck, a billboard, or something similar. I made several drawings and with each try it became more and more detailed. I also found it to be very meditative and fun! I hope people will learn how important it is to layer up in the cold. I am concerned about the homeless and people that can’t afford warm clothes. I hope that people will see this and donate to people that can’t afford this kind of clothing: mittens, hats, scarves, coats, and boots.”

Brysen’s Artist Statement: “Hot air and cold air mix together and then the wind makes it spin causing a tornado. In my artwork I'm trying to tell people that if you see a tornado go to a safe and sturdy place. I created my artwork the way I did because I want people to know how they could be safe in a tornado. The first section is how the tornado is being formed, the second section is showing where the tornado is headed, the section is telling that he sees the tornado, and the fourth section is showing that you should go in your basement if you have one. The siren in the fourth section is making the tornado siren noise to warn you that a tornado is near. For my art, I used all of the skills I had before to draw my pictures. The materials I used for my art were colored pencils, a regular pencil, and a sharpie. In my work, I hope people learn that if you see a tornado stay as far away from it as possible or go to a safe place like a basement. I learned that you could survive a tornado by laying flat on the ground also I was inspired to write this because we live in tornado alley.”

Kritika’s Artist Statement: “I addressed the challenge question by showing what people can do to ensure that they can stay safe during a flood. I drew 4 pictures with some of the things you can do to make sure you can be secure before a flood. In my picture, I’m trying to say that there are a lot more ways to make sure everything is ok if there’s a downpour. There are actually more things than the four I put in my poster but those seemed like the most important ones. Also, because of the map, her parents gave her and her brother they went to the place that was written down-because they got split up-and asked if anyone knew where her parents were and eventually found them. I made it like it is so it’s like a sequence of events, except the preparation doesn’t have to be in that specific order. The competition encouraged me to work with art materials in a new informative way. Instead of only making art for pleasure, I could also make real-life situations to raise awareness. I hope people will learn to stay alert if there’s a flood and do everything necessary from my artwork. I learned about how to stay prepared for a flood and now I can help other people in these circumstances. When I actually looked into the question and found some facts and things, I already had an idea in my head on how to put it on paper. It was inspiring because a lot of the times I had an okay-ish idea suddenly a better one would pop into my head and then I would make it.”

Middle School

Brooklynn’s Artist Statement: “I was very excited when my art teacher told me that our class would be participating in the Cool Science art competition. I thought that it would be very interesting to learn about ways to keep cool in heat waves, and warm in blizzards, because I live in an area that experiences both. I addressed the challenge question by showing different methods to stay cool in a heat wave, and warm in a blizzard. When I created my art, I wanted to use big pictures, and lots of colors to really catch the attention of the people looking at it. From this competition, I learned more about weather, and how to be prepared for it. I hope that others that see and learn the same thing, so if they were ever in an emergency, they might remember what I drew.”

Likhita’s Artist Statement: “I addressed the challenge question in my artwork by demonstrating how a severe storm forms, and how people react to it. In my artwork I am trying to tell you how a thunderstorm forms and how it can affect people. I created my artwork in the way I did because I wanted people who like learning things visually to understand clearly about how a thunderstorm forms with a little bit of art. I drew my artwork with colored pencils, and using colored pencils isn’t new to me, so no, I didn’t work with art materials in a new way. The art competition did help me with figuring out how to include Science in my artwork. I hope people will learn how a severe thunderstorm occurs, and what makes it occur. I learned that a thunderstorm occurs when warm moist air and cold air collide. I also learned that a thunderstorm cloud first starts out as a cumulus cloud, then warm moist air goes upwards and collides with the cold air causing a thunderstorm and lightning to occur. Lastly, the warm moist air condenses into rain causing the thunderstorm to wear out. Something that inspired me was how the sky goes from light to dark when a thunderstorm occurs, which is why I added the sky color transformation in my artwork. Something else that inspired me was how me and my sister feel happy when a thunderstorm is gone, which is why in my artwork I added two kids who were very happy once the thunderstorm wore out. This competition helped me embrace my art and science skills.”

Victoria’s Artist Statement: “In my artwork, I display how a thunderstorm forms. I divided my paper into three sections, one for each stage. I used colored pencils as my media. I have worked with colored pencils in the past and am pleased with the outcome they create. The section on the left or the cumulus stage, I show that hot air rises from the ground and forms clouds. Next, is the mature state. In the mature stage, thunder booms and lightning strikes. The hot air turns into rain and if it rains for a long time, there could be a flood. Lastly, the dissipating stage. This is where the rains stops and the sun peeks through the clouds. If you're lucky, you might see a rainbow. What inspired me was that I haven't experienced extreme weather before, other than thunderstorms. Thunderstorms are also one of my favorite types of weather. I learned how thunderstorms form and am now interested in learning more about the weather. I hope people learn how a thunderstorm forms and get curious to learn more about them.”

Kansas City Runner-Ups

Elementary School

Dhairya’s Artist Statement: “I learned that the stem of the plant in the forest is thin and in the desert, it is fat, because it needs to store water. And the leaves of the plant become spines, because it needs to save water by making very less evaporation. Also we need to wear warm and dark colored clothes in a blizzard and light, bright clothes in a heatwave. What inspired me is that I found it more interesting than others and myself and my mom inspired me. Looking at a Christmas trees’ needle shaped leaves inspired me to think how it survives in winter and remains green, unlike other plants. I addressed the challenge question by providing my character with ice cream in the heatwave and hot chocolate in the blizzard. The cartoon in the blizzard is wearing dark clothes and layers of dark clothes. I hoped that people would learn how the character stays cool in the heat wave and warm in the blizzard. And I want people to understand the importance of staying warm in a blizzard and cool in a heatwave. Yes, the art competition did encourage me to work the accordion book in a new way. It helped me practice my drawings and my imagination. It also helped me draw new ideas. I was trying to say how animals and plants stay warm in a blizzard, and how animals stay cool in a heatwave. My character is drinking hot chocolate in the blizzard and on the other side of my artwork, he is eating ice cream to stay cool.”

Aanya’s Artist Statement: “When lot of water comes suddenly and does not get drained , that is what we call flood. Flood occurs in many places. One among such places is North America or any place which are lower place. Flood occurs in many different way. Few of them:-> -By over flowing rivers or oceans. -It can also by heavy rain. -By melting ice on mountain sometimes. Flood is very dangerous and can take people lives, damage property. We can do few things in advance to help from flood. We can also take few safety steps.

What we can do before flood occurs or to save from flood: 1) Plant tree 2) Build house on a hill or higher ground. 3) Make a emergency kit 4) Seal any gap in your door 5) Save money in digital 6) Store food , water and other important item 7) Put your stuff on higher place

What we can do during flood: 1) Do not use electrical item 2) Switch off gas stove 3) Watch TV and news for direction 4) Go to places which are higher ground 5) Use flash light 6) Use bottled water only.

What we can do after flood: 1) Be safe when you enter a house 2) Do not drink flood water or swim in flood water 3) Clean anything that got wet 4) Don’t go near damaged place 5) Inform your friends and relative.”

Kaitlyn’s Artist Statement: “What I am trying to say in my work is that communities should talk to each other so everybody knows that they are not on their own. I created it in this way because I thought maybe if people work together they can share their ideas and even make a better idea. This competition is really making me want to do more things like this because I am learning, doing art, and having a blast! I hope that people learn that when you work together you can solve more confusing problems. I learned that you can use so many different things in your art and still make it look amazing! Everything will just make a big difference when people talk together and make a plan. What inspired me to do this project is right now there is Covid-19 going around and if people do not work together and make a plan to stop this, the world will not be safe. Everyone needs to work together, communicate, and make a plan. I picked How a community can stay safe in a flood because I think working together is the best way for you to do anything!”

Alisha’s Artist Statement: I try to describe in an easy language to explain hail and thunderstorm. I wrote about steps during hail and thunderstorm formation and I also used my art skills to show how hail and thunderstorm form. In my drawing I use cotton to show cloud, color pencil for rain and lightning and paper ball to show hail. I am trying to say in my work is that how exactly thunderstorm and hail forms. It is attractive and easy to understand. Yes, it encourages me to work with art materials in a new way, so it looks more attractive and details comes very clear. People will learn what is severe storm and types of severe storm. I hope people will learn about what are the steps comes during formation of hail and thunderstorm. I learn about what is severe storm. And I have also learned about hail and thunderstorm how it forms. I also learned about what damage hail can cause, hail can cause farmers crops to be destroyed, damage to roof top and car. Thunderstorms can damage other people properties. I also learn about how people can stay safe during hail and thunderstorms. I got inspired to write about severe storms due to: 1.Hail happened once when we went for a walk. 2. A tornado happened when we went for a trip to Yellowstone. 3. Lighting happened once when we were getting food from outside

Middle School

Vedika’s Artist Statement: “I chose the topic of “How a severe storm forms.” I presented the topic in the form of a sequence of events. I’m trying to inform people on how storms form and a few properties of storms. I created my art in that way because I love using watercolor, and I feel it’s easier to make things in a more minimalist way. I hope they’ll understand how a storm forms and not have any misconceptions about them. The competition did inspire me to use mediums in a new way. I don’t enjoy using colored pencils, but these colored pencils are better quality and I learned how to make better art using them. I’ve never used art to make things informative, so this was a nice change of pace. Showing the steps isn’t an easy task using only visuals, but it worked out well. I was inspired due to the fact that I think storms are pretty interesting, and also great watercolor opportunities! It’s also cool that I can use art in a way that shows people about true facts and events. I learned so much during this project. First of all, I didn’t know that there was so much rising and falling between the warm and cold airs. It is kind of like a tug-of-war if you think`. Mind you, I didn’t think the weather was particularly interesting. I didn’t even know that there were 3 types of storms! I also learned how to use art materials in different ways.”

Peyton’s Artist Statement: “What inspired me to make this artwork is that my family had once been in a blizzard. We had to go to my grandparents because we had no power. I want mine to relate to people by showing someone getting through the storm. During the contest, I learned to really make things pop in my drawing. The challenge during the contest was making the signs readable from a distance. So, I made the signs bigger and added designs to notice it. This project was made to aware people what to do to protect yourself and others. I hope my artwork helps people to inform others or to donate to charities supporting this cause. I hope if a heat wave or blizzard occurs, we can prevent illnesses from happening.”

Kourtney’s Artist Statement: “Stay Prepared - I was very excited when my art teacher told me that our class would be participating in the Cool Science art competition. I thought that it would be very interesting to learn about ways to keep cool in heat waves, and warm in blizzards, because I live in an area that experiences both. I addressed the challenge question by showing different methods to stay cool in a heat wave, and warm in a blizzard. When I created my art, I wanted to use big pictures, and lots of colors to really catch the attention of the people looking at it. From this competition, I learned more about weather, and how to be prepared for it. I hope that others that see and learn the same thing, so if they were ever in an emergency, they might remember what I drew.”