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HARRISBURG, PA (August 20, 2019) – In a biannual art competition hosted by the Pennsylvania State Education Association, 11 educators and students were recognized for their artwork depicting the development of the labor movement.

The Jennifer J. DuBois Fabric of Unionism Art Competition is held every two years to promote awareness of the historical significance of the labor movement and its importance to the future. The winners were announced in June.

“The arts are a vibrant, vital, and necessary part of the curriculum in our schools,” said PSEA President Rich Askey, a Harrisburg elementary music teacher. “Students who study art are more likely to be high academic achievers and to have good school attendance. We have so many talented educators and students in Pennsylvania, and PSEA is pleased to recognize their great work.”

“By using their talent to tell the story of the labor movement, these artists are helping educate Pennsylvanians about the accomplishments of labor and its necessity for our future,” Askey added.

Winners and images of their winning artwork are available below. High-resolution images are available upon request.

The student winners of the 2019 Fabric of Unionism Art Competition are:

Grand Prize: “Freedom Soars Through Our Unions” by Tory Sterling (student of Miranda Allen), Palmerton Area High School

Second Place: “Hands” by Caleb Roos (student of Sara Arnold), Pottsville Area High School

Third Place: “A United Veil” by Benjamin Schiefer (student of Barry Raker), Philipsburg-Osceola Senior High School

Honorable Mention: “United on the Wings of Freedom” by Caitlyn Kline (student of Sara Arnold), Pottsville Area High School

Honorable Mention: “Steel Worker Wrought” by Kellie Williams (student of Antonette Dues), Connellsville Senior High School

The PSEA member winners of the 2019 Fabric of Unionism Art Competition are:

Grand Prize: “Unionism Can Do It” by Barry Raker, art teacher, Philipsburg-Osceola Senior High School

Second Place: “Liberty and Justice for All” by Sara Arnold, art teacher, Pottsville Area High School

Third Place: “AU - American Unions Set the Gold Standard for Labor Industry” by Karen King, art teacher, Philipsburg-Osceola Middle School

Honorable Mention: “Labor Unions: Moving America Forward” by Jennifer Prichett, art teacher, B.F. Morey Elementary School, Stroudsburg Area School District

Honorable Mention: “Keeping Workers Strong” by Ronda Lee Seymour, visual art teacher, Schuylkill Valley Middle School

Honorable Mention: “The Fighting Spirit Lives On!” by Raphael Pantalone, art teacher, Metzgar Elementary, Greensburg Salem School District

Grand prize winners in both student and member categories received $1,000; second prize winners, $500; and third prize winners, $250.

The Fabric of Unionism started in 1997 and was renamed in 2000 in memory of Jennifer J. DuBois, a founding member of the project. DuBois was a teacher and local leader in PSEA’s Central Region and served as a PSEA UniServ representative in the Northeastern and Central regions.

An affiliate of the National Education Association, PSEA represents about 181,000 active and retired educators and school employees, student teachers, higher education staff, and health care workers in Pennsylvania.