11-year-old's portrait of Rosa Parks wins annual contest

Liv Paggiarino/News TribunePeers clap and cheer Tuesday for Trinity Howard, right, as she receives first place in U.S. Cellular’s fifth annual Black History Art Contest in front of the Knowles YMCA. Trinity won the grand prize of $250 for her portrait of Rosa Parks.
Liv Paggiarino/News TribunePeers clap and cheer Tuesday for Trinity Howard, right, as she receives first place in U.S. Cellular’s fifth annual Black History Art Contest in front of the Knowles YMCA. Trinity won the grand prize of $250 for her portrait of Rosa Parks.

In Jefferson City, an 11-year-old girl's pencil drawing of Rosa Parks won voters' hearts.

The portrait earned Trinity Howard first-place honors in the fifth annual U.S. Cellular Black History Month Art Contest.

"I drew Rosa Parks because she stood up for something she believed in - she technically sat down for something she believed in," Trinity said.

Each year, the cellular phone service provider hosts the contest in a partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs across the nation in commemoration of Black History Month. About the beginning of the month, the cellular provider and the club gather children and ask them to draw inspirational people in Black history. The portraits are hung in the Jefferson City store, where people may go to vote on their favorites. Or people are encouraged to vote for their favorite portraits online.

Artists are encouraged to choose from among historic figures, athletes, celebrities and anyone else who inspires them.

The local nonprofit let all its students who are in fourth grade or later participate, said Paris Lewis, the chief operating officer of the local nonprofit.

In previous years, the contest has been limited to only the club's location at the Railton Center, on the Campus of Lincoln University. But, that left out children at Callaway Hills and Knowles sites, Lewis said, which was unfair.

For first place, Trinity, who participated from the Knowles site, earned $250.

Before drawing Parks, Trinity learned about her in school, she said. And, she decided to research the civil rights leader.

Jenyiah Nickerson, 10, decided to draw a portrait of George Floyd.

"I think this is a really important person in this world," she said.

Jenyiah said she learned about him through media coverage.

For her portrait, she earned $150.

Jayden Chapman, 11, took third place, and won $100 for his portrait of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.

"I like the Seattle Seahawks. It's just a really good team," Jayden said.

The children really worked hard on their artwork, Lewis said.

"They were familiar with it in the past. This year, they were asking for it," she said. "That was kind of nice. It was awesome to see this year."