Riley Instone’s artwork was selected as the winner of the Portage Lions Club Peace Poster contest for 2022. Riley is the daughter of Nathan and Kristin Instone. The runner-up was Marshall Makley, son of Tom and Meghan Makley.
Both are students in Margo Morr’s art class at Bowling Green Middle School. Approximately 25 students participated in this year’s contest. Students could use any media to express their vision of peace.
Both winners, along with their parents, were honored at a dinner held Oct. 23 in Portage. Each received certificates and cash awards in recognition of their winning designs.
Riley’s poster will be entered in the district Lions peace poster contest. The district covers the 11 counties of Northwest Ohio and includes 50 clubs. The district-winning poster will be submitted to the state competition. Eventually, one international grand prize winner and 23 merit award winners will be selected.
The grand prize includes a cash award of $5,000 and will be recognized at a special awards ceremony at Lions Day with the United Nations. The 23 merit award winners will each receive a certificate and a cash award of $500.
The theme of the 2023-24 peace poster contest is “Dare to Dream.” Students, ages 11-13, are eligible to participate.
Riley’s poster was among more than 600,000 entries submitted worldwide in the annual Lions International peace poster contest. Lions Clubs International is sponsoring the program to emphasize the importance of world peace to young people everywhere. Each year, Lions clubs around the world sponsor the Lions International Peace Poster Contest in local schools and youth groups.