The Space Foundation has announced the winners of its 2012 Space Foundation Student Art Contest co-sponsored by ARES Corporation and Fisher Space Pen Co. The 36 winners came from seven states and the country of Pakistan.
The Space Foundation invited students from around the world in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade to submit original artwork depicting the theme, “Space is Infinite — Explore!” The response included more than 1,500 entries from 17 U.S. states, Turkey and Pakistan. School children in Pakistan embraced the contest with particular enthusiasm, capturing many of the award slots.

A panel of judges selected first, second and third place winning entries in four grade categories — PreK-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12 — and three style categories — drawing, painting and multimedia. From that group, 36 winners were chosen and the panel selected a single grand prize winner in each age category, for a total of four grand prize winners. New for this year’s contest is also the Space Foundation Achievement Award, selected from among the winners by the Space Foundation’s internal graphic arts team.

Each winning artist receives a Fisher Space Pen and a ribbon. Each grand prize winner will also receive an art kit from ARES Corporation. The Space Foundation Achievement Award winner also receives a $100 gift certificate for art supplies.

Winning entries will be displayed in the new Ball Aerospace Exhibit Center Pavilion at the Space Foundation’s 28th National Space Symposium at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo., April 16-19. Because of the large number of non-U.S. winners, the award “ceremony” will take place via video, with astronauts announcing the winners.

GRAND PRIZE/SPACE FOUNDATION ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS

Grace Tesar, Grand Prize, PreK-2nd grade category
The Classical Academy — Central, Colorado Springs, Colo., USA

Meerab Atiq, Grand Prize, 3rd-5th grade category
Beaconhouse School System, Lahore, Pakistan

Syed Nofal Shah Bokhari, Grand Prize, 6th-8th grade category
Army Public Schools and College, Kohat, Pakistan

Syed Zaki Raza, Grand Prize, 9th-12th grade category
Hamdard Public School, Karachi, Pakistan

Raquel Arens, Space Foundation Achievement Award
Eagleview Middle School, Colorado Springs, Colo., USA

PRE-KINDERGARTEN-2ND GRADE WINNERS, MULTIMEDIA

Grace Tesar, 1st Place
The Classical Academy — Central, Colorado Springs, Colo., USA
Delaney Grootwassink, 2nd Place
Safety Harbor Elementary School, Safety Harbor, Fla., USA
Omer Faroaq, 3rd Place
Roots School System, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

PRE-KINDERGARTEN-2ND GRADE WINNERS, PAINTING

Munakib E-Noor, 1st Place
Roots School System, Islamabad, Pakistan
Aylana Wray, 2nd Place
The Classical Academy — Central, Colorado Springs, Colo., USA
Alec Falk, 3rd Place
Prairie Winds Elementary School, Monument, Colo., USA

PRE-KINDERGARTEN-2ND GRADE WINNERS, DRAWING

Ayesha Iftikhar, 1st Place
The City Kindergarten Defense Campus, Karachi, Pakistan
Aaliyn Azhar, 2nd Place
The City Kindergarten Defense Campus, Karachi, Pakistan
Maha Attique, 3rd Place
Roots School System, Lahore, Pakistan

3RD-5TH GRADE WINNERS, MULTIMEDIA

Shahid Wajid Ali, 1st Place
The Citizens Foundation School, Karachi, Pakistan
Taha Waqar, 2nd Place
Roots School System, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Musab Ali, 3rd Place
Beaconhouse School System, Karachi, Pakistan

3RD-5TH GRADE WINNERS, PAINTING

Meerab Atiq, 1st Place
Beaconhouse School System, Lahore, Pakistan
Salman Laiba, 2nd Place
Beaconhouse School System, Karachi, Pakistan
Ethan Hedden, 3rd Place
The Colorado Springs School, Colorado Springs, Colo., USA

3RD-5TH GRADE WINNERS, DRAWING

Esha Khan, 1st Place
Roots School System, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Maricruze Olivas, 2nd Place
Stratton Meadows Elementary School, Colorado Springs, Colo., USA
Syed Hamza Ali Rizvi, 3rd Place
Beaconhouse School System, Karachi, Pakistan

6TH-8TH GRADE WINNERS, MULTIMEDIA

Fareeha Awan, 1st Place
Army Public Junior School, Punjab, Pakistan
Anolani Viloria, 2nd Place
Kapolei Middle School, Kapolei, Hawaii, USA
Jenae Mixer, 3rd Place
Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo., USA

6TH-8TH GRADE WINNERS, PAINTING

Syed Nofal Shah Bokhari, 1st Place
Army Public Schools and College, Kohat, Pakistan
Raquel Arens, 2nd Place
Eagleview Middle School, Colorado Springs, Colo., USA
Catherine Zhou, 3rd Place
Glasgow Middle School, Baton Rouge, La., USA

6TH-8TH GRADE WINNERS, DRAWING

Mohammad Nafeel Irfan, 1st Place
Prep School, Aitchison College, Lahore, Pakistan
Nayni Paung, 2nd Place
Farnsworth Aerospace, Pre-K-8 Magnet School, St. Paul, Minn., USA
Zoya Baakza, 3rd Place
The City School, P.A.F. Chapter, Karachi, Pakistan

9TH-12TH GRADE WINNERS, MULTIMEDIA

Syed Zaki Raza, 1st Place
Hamdard Public School, Karachi, Pakistan
Eric Henn, 2nd Place
Waccamaw High School, Pawley’s Island, S.C., USA
Daniel Carr, 3rd Place
Homeschool Student, Woodland Park, Colo., USA

9TH-12TH GRADE WINNERS, PAINTING

Sakina Khan, 1st Place
Beaconhouse School — Liberty campus, Lahore, Pakistan
Ruben Montemayor, 2nd Place
Sam Rayburn High School, Pasadena, Texas, USA
Maliha Bangash, 3rd Place
Beaconhouse School — Liberty Campus, Lahore, Pakistan

9TH-12TH GRADE WINNERS, DRAWING

Grant Gold, 1st Place
Caldwell High School, Caldwell, Texas, USA
Kelvin Cheah, 2nd Place
Waccamaw High School, Pawley’s Island, S.C., USA
Simon Young, 3rd Place
Sand Creek High School, Colorado Springs, Colo., USA

Where to See the Artwork

The winning artwork can be seen on the Space Foundation website at: www.spacefoundation.org/media/photo-galleries. Beginning April 3, all of the winning entries will also be displayed on Artsonia.com, an online museum of exceptional student artwork, at www.artsonia.com/space. Winners may take advantage of Artsonia’s store to purchase items featuring the winning artwork. This is a courtesy to the winners; the Space Foundation receives no income from Artsonia sales.

About the Judging Panel

The panel of judges was selected from the Colorado Springs art community and comprised:

– Joy Armstrong, assistant curator, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
– Lourn Eidal, assistant art director, Crystal Peak Design, Colorado Springs
– Sam Gappmayer, president and chief executive officer, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
– Laurie A. Longberry, art instructor, Monart Drawing and Art Studio, Peyton, Colo.
– Hans Wolfe, middle and upper school visual arts, visiting artist coordinator, art department chair, The Colorado Springs School

About the 28th National Space Symposium

The Space Foundation’s National Space Symposium is the premier gathering of the global space community and includes an education component, with workshops, tours and events for teachers and students. Register for the Symposium at www.NationalSpaceSymposium.org/register, which includes a live chat tab for customer service questions.