'Images of Freedom' – Artwork by Howard County Students for Black History Month

The best drawings by Howard County students in this year's "Images of Freedom" contest are displayed at the through the end of February – with the five best pieces also displayed on the side of Howard County Transit buses. 

The contest is focused on Black History Month. The artists behind the five best works were honored this past Thursday at the art center.

"It’s really quite amazing to think about the level of talent that is displayed by these students," said Shelia Green, a spokeswoman for Columbia Association, which organized the contest.

"CA is proud to be able to offer a platform that encourages students to express themselves creatively. We’re doing it in a way that allows students from all cultures and backgrounds to say in artistic form what freedom means to them.  It’s both enlightening and inspiring."

Patch spoke to four of the five artists about their inspiration. (Kavya Sundar of Centennial High School was not present at the ceremony.)

Han-Wen Yang, 12, Seventh Grade, Burleigh Manor Middle School

"We did a lot of Black History Month stuff in social studies class. I remembered Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech. I have a lot of African-American friends. It [the speech] reminds me of my friends. I wouldn't have met them if Martin Luther King hadn't made that speech."

Lucero Espinal, 12, Seventh Grade, Cradlerock School (Upper)

"I was thinking about doing something with the United States flag or the eagle, but then my sister inspired me to do something different. It [a caged bird singing] represents freedom that everyone can understand, not only blacks and whites, but every single person."

Miranda Zeng, 13, Eighth Grade, Mount View Middle School

"In social studies we learned about the Atlantic Slave Trade. I thought it was really bad. I wanted to present how they locked people up in the bottom of the ship, chained to the wall. I wanted to present how they got free."

Shourjya Mookerjee, 15, 10th Grade, Atholton High School

"The main inspiration for my piece was from the war being fought in Afghanistan. I saw during the Christmas holidays that the soldiers were sending wishes for their families, and that moved me a lot.

"I realized that these are the fighters who are protecting our freedom. Freedom is only understood when it is protected from all kinds of enemy attacks, and our brave soldiers are the ones who are sacrificing their lives to safeguard our freedom.

"The helmet in my artwork is obviously a symbol for the soldiers that are fighting currently. The American flag and the bald eagle have always been traditional symbols of American nationalism and pride. The white flower which sprouted from the tree is supposed to signify peace, a step that should always be our ultimate endeavor for building and maintaining global peace."