Pictured: 2024 Elections Student Art Contest winning pieces
Your votes have been counted, and 12 Douglas County students are now award-winning artists in the 2024 Douglas County Elections Student Art Contest. The winners were chosen in four categories through the combination of a public voting period that received nearly 1,500 responses, and a panel of judges led by Douglas County Clerk and Recorder Sheri Davis.
K-2nd Grade Category: America the Beautiful
- 1st place: Beautiful America by Aadith Kancharla, Leman Academy
- 2nd place: My Beautiful Country by Sitara Boddapati, American Academy
- 3rd place: Beautiful Mountains by Amritha Bala, STEM School Highlands Ranch
3rd-5th Grade Category: Presidential History
- 1st place: President Theodore Roosevelt by Shyla Rai, Northeast Elementary
- 2nd place: FDR Soaring by Daisy Pitts, Northridge Elementary
- 3rd place: Abraham Lincoln by Brayden Zhu, Northridge Elementary
6th-8th Grade Category: Stars and Stripes
- 1st place: The Apache by Gavin Shaklee, Castle Rock Middle School
- 2nd place: American Symbol by Jaidev Karthikeyan, STEM School Highlands Ranch
- 3rd place: Stars and Stripes by Zoe Bieber, Castle Rock Middle School
9th-12th Grade Category: Let Freedom Ring
- 1st place: Indivisible by Gabriella Renfroe, Rock Canyon High School
- 2nd place: Strength and Spirit of the American West by Natalie Miles, Ponderosa High School
- 3rd place: Shining Freedom in Castle Rock by Attacus Brown, Renaissance Secondary School
Douglas County Elections hosts the Student Art Contest every four years ahead of each Presidential Election and the winning artwork is displayed in Douglas County government buildings.
“I’m so excited to engage young people in our democracy. Educating future generations about the importance of voting and the security and integrity of the process is essential and I’m thrilled we’ve had such a positive response,” says Davis. “I encourage everyone in our community to visit DouglasVotes.com for election information, voter resources, and to celebrate our student artists!”
Twelve additional student artists are being recognized with Honorable Mentions for their submissions.
Honorable Mentions
- K-2nd: Statue of Liberty by Charley Banta, Flagstone Elementary
- K-2nd: Purple Mountain Majesty by Liam Arnold, Clear Sky Elementary
- K-2nd: The Dock by Thamilini Karthikeyan, STEM School Highlands Ranch
- K-2nd: Cardinal by Rachel Han, Northridge Elementary
- 3rd-5th: The Beginning of a Legacy by Ryan Gupta, Challenge to Excellence Charter
- 3rd-5th: Abe Lincoln by Britton Roth, Flagstone Elementary
- 3rd-5th: The Conservationist by Gabriella Zayas-Bazan, Buffalo Ridge Elementary
- 3rd-5th: George Washington by Ryann Irwin, Copper Mesa Elementary
- 6th-8th: Eagle’s Emblem: Democracy in Flight by Krishanika Paramasivam Vijayalakshmi, STEM School Highlands Ranch
- 6th-8th: Patriotic City Shining in the Dark by Sara Maini, Skyview Academy
- 6th-8th: Creativity of the US by Lorelei Henderson, Castle Rock Middle School
- 6th-8th: A Space Triumph by Jordon Henry, Castle Rock Middle School