Programs > Education Programs > Annual Art Contest > 2023 Winners

Art Contest Winners

Middle School

First Place

Anna Gnip

Gaspar De Portola Middle School

Grade 7

(“Flying High In The Sky”)

Second Place

Nathaniel Foster

Imperial Beach Charter School

Grade 8

(“The View of Freedom”)

Third Place

Tovi Tabbert

The Heights Charter School

Grade 6

(“Battle of the Pacific”)

High School

First Place

Grace Brown

Clairemont High School

Grade 12

(“America’s Secret Weapon: Rosie’s Air Corps”)

Second Place

Leslie Michel Pagel-Alcaraz

Crawford High School

Grade 12

(“Diversity on the Sea”)

Third Place

Matthew Stokes

Poway High School

Grade 10

(“By Dawn’s Early Light, Defenders of the Air, Land, and Sea”)

Grace Brown

America's Secret Weapon: Rosie's "Air Corps"

Pastel

Grade 12
Clairemont High School
San Diego, CA

Statement
"I was impressed by the industrious military women who made it possible for Marines to be in flight during WWII. I wanted to highlight their significant contribution to Marine Aviation because they are often overlooked or forgotten. My inspiration was a photo by George Marks.

During WWI I, many women contributed to the war effort by stepping out of their traditional roles and into professions previously occupied by men. Military aviation units, already characterized by pioneers, eagerly recruited nearly a third of all women reservists, with 9,100 women supporting Marine Aviation alone! Aviation Women's Reserve Squadrons #4 and #5 were posted to the Marine Corps Air Depot, Miramar."

Nathaniel Foster

The View of Freedom

Acrylic markers, paint

Grade 8
Imperial Beach Charter School
Imperial Beach, CA

Statement
"My mom has been in the military my whole life and recently retired. I wanted to create an art piece to honor her 21 years of service."

Anna Gnip

Flying High in the Sky

Watercolor, acrylic

Grade 7
Gaspar De Portola Middle School
San Diego, CA

Statement
"I looked at some interesting professional watercolor pieces and wanted to incorporate the style into my artwork. "

Leslie Michel Pagel-Alcaraz

Diversity on the Sea

Mixed media

Grade 12
Crawford High School
San Diego, CA

Statement
"This piece of artwork celebrates the diversity found within the Marine Aviation service, and how it gives a chance to underrepresented folk an opportunity to rise above the clouds; this is represented by the many materials used to form one artwork. A pink line outlines the aviators to represent women, and to juxtapose with the common misconception that pink is a weak color. "

Matthew Stokes

By the Dawn's Early Light: Defenders of the Air, Land, and Sea

Colored pencils and graphite

Grade 10
Poway High School
Poway, CA

Tovi Tabbert

Battle of the Pacific

Graphite on paper

Grade 6
The Heights Charter
Alpine, CA

Art Contest Winners

Middle School

First Place

Second Place

Third Place

High School

First Place

Second Place

Third Place

Preserving the legacy of USMC aviation