(December 19, 2001) — Sophomore Peter Sriployrung describes his art piece: “It combines a human and a cello as one object and the cello is playing itself.” Art teacher Judith Craemer assigned students in her art classes to participate in the 2002 Spotlight Awards sponsored by Music Center Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County. At press date, Sriployrung was one of seven finalists. “I was really surprised and happy that I was one of the finalists,” he commented. From 400 entries, 34 semifinalists for the poster art category were chosen Dec. 5, with five entries from Clark, according to Craemer. Semifinalists were sophomore Hannah Lee, Peter Sriployrung, senior Philip Sriployrung, junior Lili Melikian and senior Sapideh Omidghaemi. The contest included six categories: performing arts, music, singing, composing, photography and poster art. The theme was showing performing arts as communication of feelings and ideas. First and second place for the poster art category receive $1500 and $1000, with five honorable mentions receiving $250 each. Entries are not returned, all winners receive 100 copies of their work, said Craemer. The winning piece will be painted on the walls of the Music Center’s parking structure and can be seen as soon as driven into it, according to Philip Sriployrung. Craemer’s art classes received the assignment in early October. “[We] decided to make it an assignment this year because [when we] saw the winners [last year] we were disappointed because most of the stuff was junk and they got all these great prizes,” explaines Melikian. Students entered the contest with an online application and then gave their piece to Craemer to take it to the Music Center, said Philip Sriployrung. Most completed the assignment in Craemer’s classes. Craemer commented students were “enthusiastic when they turned it in.” Students used many mediums in their artwork: pastels, tempra paint, pen and ink, acrylic paint, colored pencils, watercolors and digital, said Craemer. It took students a while to complete this project, commented Craemer. Omidghaemi took three days to complete her piece. “In the foreground it’s a big trumpet, in the background, there’s a hallway with light coming through and there’s a guy playing the trumpet and there’s a mannequin dancing on the trumpet,” Omidghaemi describes. “Prizes are good and the competition [isn’t] high. It’s a minimal competition contest,” she said. Judging for the finalists was Friday, said Craemer. “It’s a good competition,” she said. “It’s open for artists for their own interpretation and not closed…[students] gained more skill in composition, designs [and they] bring that skill to the next work,” she commented.