Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Carson City, Nev. - The Nevada Department of Education is delighted to announce the winner of the Nevada Reading Week Student Art Contest for 2024. Learsi Romero Martinez, a talented 6th-grade student at Dell H. Robinson Middle School in the Clark County School District, emerged as the grand prize winner with her exceptional artwork that beautifully encapsulates this year's theme: Embrace the Magic of Reading.

"We are thrilled to see the creativity and imagination displayed by Learsi Romero Martinez in her winning artwork," said Jhone Ebert, State Superintendent of Public Instruction. "Her piece truly captures the essence of Nevada Reading Week's theme and emphasizes the magical world that reading opens for students. Congratulations to Learsi and all the talented participants who contributed to making this year's contest a success."

The Nevada Reading Week Student Art Contest is an opt-in event, allowing districts and charter organizations to host local student art contests. The top 3 finalists in elementary, middle, and high school from each local contest advance to the statewide competition. The judging committee uses a rubric to evaluate the entries, considering various elements such as creativity, theme adherence, and overall artistic expression.

Learsi's artwork distinguished itself by incorporating diverse genres and subject areas, including fantasy, mathematics, science, and geography. Her interpretation of the theme, "Embrace the Magic of Reading," resonated with the judges, making her artwork the standout choice for the grand prize.

“When Learsi turned in her drawing I gasped so loudly I startled her! I was amazed at how she captured the spirit of this year's theme,” said Soraya Laboy, Dell H. Robinson Middle School Librarian,” To be honest, I was not expecting such a beautifully crafted piece from someone so young. I am so proud of her for sharing her talent and work with all of us.”

“I love art because since I was little, drawing became something I was passionate about. Art was something that I loved because of the fun of creating. Seeing hours, minutes, or even seconds of your hard work become real right in front of you was a great feeling of accomplishment. I decided to participate in the contest because I thought it would help get me out of my art slump, and I really didn't have anything to lose by submitting my art,” said Learsi Romero Martinez.

As the grand prize winner, Learsi Romero Martinez will receive a $150 gift card to Amazon, and her design will become the official logo for Nevada Reading Week. The logo will be featured on t-shirts, the Nevada Reading Week website, and various promotional materials. Additionally, Learsi's artwork will be showcased at the Nevada Department of Education locations in the north and south.

Honorable Mentions: • High School: Alex Garcia-Tapungot, 12th grade, Damonte Ranch High School, Washoe County School District • Middle School: Autumn Frampton, 8th grade, Somerset Academy, Aliante Campus, North Las Vegas • Elementary School: Kyle Maples, 4th grade, Westergard Elementary, Washoe County School District

Each Honorable Mention recipient will receive a $75 gift card to Amazon, and their teachers will be awarded a $25 gift card to Amazon.

The winner and runners-up were all honored during a virtual award ceremony on November 28, 2023.

To celebrate Nevada Reading Week, an online store featuring items with the winning design will be open from early December to January 18th. A link to the store will be posted on the Nevada Reading Week Website when available.

Nevada Reading Week 2024 is scheduled for March 4-8, and participants can look forward to engaging events, including the Author LIVE Event, which connected over 35,000 students with local and nationally recognized authors last year. For more information and resources about Nevada Reading Week, please visit www.nevadareadingweek.org.

About the Nevada Department of Education

The Nevada Department of Education (NDE) leads and collaborates with Nevada’s 17 school districts and the State Public Charter School Authority to advance educational equity Statewide. With offices in Carson City and Las Vegas, NDE oversees all pre-K-12 education in the State, working to achieve its mission to improve student achievement and educator effectiveness by ensuring opportunities, facilitating learning, and promoting excellence. Under the leadership of the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, NDE impacts the achievement of nearly half a million children and 30,000 educators. Learn more at https://doe.nv.gov/ and join us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram.