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The 35th annual Suffolk Sister Cities Young Authors and Artists Showcase, “Peace by Piece: Food Security in My Community,” debuted at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts Tuesday, Feb. 28. 

Michelle Wren, president of Suffolk Sister Cities International, and Mardane McLemore, chairman of Young Artists and Authors, welcomed students and their families, thanked judges for sharing their expertise and acknowledged Suffolk Public School and Nansemond Suffolk Academy teachers for supporting the efforts of their creative students. 

Suffolk Mayor Michael D. Duman presented 53 awards to students in digital art, photography, painting, drawing, mixed media, essay, poetry, and music.

The Young Artists and Authors Showcase exhibition features 118 art entries and 81 authors’ entries created by SPS and NSA students. Works were judged by experts in the related field, winners include:

• Best in show artists showcase winner — Violet Johnston, NSA, for the painting “Our Child is Hungry”
• Digital art first place — Sanaa Rabsatt, Nansemond River High School, for art “I See Nothing”
• Photography first place — Izzy Rose, NSA, for art “Wasting Away” 
• Painting first place Lily Petry, NSA, for art “Running on Empty”
• Drawing first place — Amanda Mullins, NRHS for art “Rot”
• Mixed media first place — Anne Ruffin House, NSA, for art “Surviving”
• Best in show authors showcase winner — Xavier Wallace, Kings Fork High School, for the essay “Food Security Within the Community”
• Essays first place — Morgan Milliner, KFHS, for the essay “Famine Awareness”
• Poetry first place — A tie between Madison Carr, NRHS, for the poem “Our Reality” and Arianna Gregory, NSA, for the poem “The Blue Café”
• Music first place: Windley Mason, NRHS, for his work “And We Thank Him for Our Food”

These winners are eligible to participate in the Sister Cities International Competition, where they compete with entries from around the world and United States. There is a $1,000 cash prize for winners of the international competition.

“Peace by Piece: Food Security in My Community” student showcase continues through Wednesday, March 22 at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts. Gallery admission is free and open to the public 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesdays-Saturdays, 110 W. Finney Ave.

To learn more about Suffolk Sister Cities International, visit www.suffolksistercitiesinternational.org.