The Liberty County Historical Commission honored participants and winners in their first Annual Art and Essay Contest on Saturday, Sept. 25, 10 a.m. in the Jack Hartel Building in Liberty.
Subjects for both art work and essays were of historical subjects in Liberty County and was a summer Youth Project and part of LCHC Special Events in the community. Students from the various school districts and home school children were eligible to enter. Over 40 entries from across the county were judged and with help from County Judge Jay Knight, were awarded Certificates from the Commission along with gift cards. The six first-place winners are:
ESSAYS: Ages 10-12, Jenna Ramirez (Devers ISD) Subject: James Taylor White; Ages 14-16, Elizabeth Diaz Arreola (Dayton ISD) Subject: Annie E. Colbert, Rosenwald Schools and Liberty County; Ages 17-18, Zhamisaf Idrisov (Cleveland ISD) Subject: Founder of the Martin Autopark.
ART: Ages 7-9, Fernando Carranza (Cleveland ISD) Subject: Thomas Bros Feed Store; Ages 10-12, Teegan Davis (Devers ISD) Subject: Steamboat on the Trinity; Ages 17-18, Christiana Williams (Dayton ISD) Subject: Annie W. Colbert: Paving the Way for Black Education.
Members of the Special Events Committee for LCHC are Sheryl Pannell, Beverly Davis, Gloria Stratton, Sandra Sterling, Susan Rice, Pat Mange and Pat Blaike.
Zhamisaf Idrisov (not pictured), a student at Cleveland ISD, won first place in the 17-18-year-old division of the Liberty County Historical Commission’s Annual Art and Essay Contest for his essay on Martin Autopark’s founder. Pictured are Sheryl Pannell and Liberty County Judge Jay Knight. 
Fernando Carranza, a student at Cleveland ISD, won first place in the 7-9-year-old category of the Liberty County Historical Commission’s Annual Art and Essay Contest. Carranza won for his drawing of Thomas Bros. Feed Store. Pictured with him are Sandra Sterling and Liberty County Judge Jay Knight. 
Teegan Davis, a student at Devers ISD, won first place in the 10-12-year-old category of the Liberty County Historical Commission’s Annual Art and Essay Contest. Davis won for her artwork on Steamboats on the Trinity. Pictured with her are Gloria Stratton and Liberty County Judge Jay Knight. 
Christiana Williams, a student at Dayton ISD, won first place in the 17-18-year-old category of the Liberty County Historical Commission’s Annual Art and Essay Contest. Williams was inspired for her artwork by Annie W. Colbert. Pictured with her are Beverly Davis and Liberty County Judge Jay Knight.
it was a pleasure to put this event together! Thank you to a great committee that worked tirelessly and with enthusiasm to make it happen. And thank you to the 43 entrants, teachers, and Devers and Cleveland ISDs for their contribution to the success OF THIS FIRST ANNUAL ART AND ESSAY CONTEST! –Sheryl Pannell, Event Chair.