Black History makes mark at South School

Deja Whitfield, 11, puts the finishing touch on her drawing of basketball player Lisa Leslie during an art contest held Tuesday for Boys & Girls Club members at South Elementary School.
Deja Whitfield, 11, puts the finishing touch on her drawing of basketball player Lisa Leslie during an art contest held Tuesday for Boys & Girls Club members at South Elementary School.

Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Prince, Gabby Douglas, Barack and Michelle Obama, and Muhammad Ali were among the civil rights leaders who inspired the youth at the Boys & Girls Club who participated Tuesday in the U.S. Cellular Black History Month Art Contest.

This was the first year U.S. Cellular partnered with the Boys & Girls Club of Jefferson City, donating art supplies and cookies to the students at South Elementary School BGC site. To enter the contest, the students drew a portrait of the person who most inspires them.

Eleven-year-old Deja Whitfield drew her version of WNBA MVP Lisa Lesley, and 10-year-old Gillian Hardin drew her version of Maya Angelou. The two were selected among 10 finalists in the contest to move on to the final round.

"She inspired a lot of people not to give up and keep going," Hardin said when asked why she picked Angelou.

With her drawing she included Angelou's quote: "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain."

More than 50 students participated in the art contest. Prior to the contest, Boys & Girls Club site coordinator Danyl Mullins and her staff provided a history lesson to the students on past and present civil rights leaders.

"I didn't want the kids to choose people who they all see all the time on television, so we talked to the kids about the impact different leaders have had throughout history," Mullins said. "I am extremely proud of all of the kids that participated and the leaders they chose to draw."

Ten portraits were selected to be on display throughout Black History Month, starting Feb. 1, in the local U.S. Cellular store, 1922 Missouri Blvd.

Customers can vote on their favorite portrait. Three will be selected for the opportunity to win a $250 first-place prize, a second-place prize of $150 or $100 for third. The prizes will be awarded during a celebration ceremony in March.

Justin Skiles, local U.S. Cellular store manager, said this was an opportunity for youth to showcase their talents and knowledge of African-American leaders.

"As a company, we are extremely committed to the education of the youth who participate in the Boys & Girls Club and the 4-H clubs," Skiles said. "We have illustrated this through $1.3 million in donations and volunteer efforts."

In recent years, the company has donated $20,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Jefferson City.

Jacob Nealey, U.S. Cellular business development manager and an alumnus of South Elementary, believes this is a great opportunity to give back to the community and to the local Boys & Girls Club.

"Every kid here is impacted in a different way," Mullins said. "Ultimately, my staff and I want to be 'that someone' for our youth when they look back at all the people who didn't give up on them when they were young."