Norwich Free Academy Student Wins Envision Kindness Arts & Letters Contest

Envision Kindness is excited to announce that the winners for the New London County Arts & Letters Contest include students from Norwich Free Academy, Bacon Academy High School, the Interdistrict School for Arts and Communications (ISAAC) and Mystic Middle School. Winning schools were awarded prizes ranging from $250 to $75 to support arts programs.
The contest challenged middle and high school students in New London County to create an original piece of art and accompanying written piece that promotes kindness, empathy or compassion. Contest submissions can be seen here.
“Congratulations to the contest winners for their inspiring work. Their expressions of what kindness means to them are critical to strengthening empathy and compassion and inspiring acts of kindness, which are so needed in society today,” said David Fryburg, M.D., president and co-founder, Envision Kindness.
“Research has shown that exposure to positive, kind acts and kindness-centric content makes people more likely to be less stressed, healthier and happier and make people feel more connected, optimistic and give them a more accurate and well-rounded view of the world,” added Dr. Fryburg. “We hope that the students who participated in this program had a positive experience.”
Winners were selected by an esteemed group of volunteer judges in the arts and languages who have ties to New London County. Judges included: Jose Gonzalez, Professor of English, United States Coast Guard Academy, author of the International Book Award Finalist, Toys Made of Rock; Amy Kurtz-Lansing, Curator, Florence Griswold Museum; Ann Shapiro, Executive Director, CT Storytelling Center; and Clint Slowik, Director, Marquee Gallery.

2017 WINNERS ENVISION KINDNESS NEW LONDON COUNTY ARTS & LETTERS CONTEST
HIGH SCHOOL WINNERS
Overall Winner $250 Kindness
Norwich Free Academy, Norwich
Student: Anna Hungerford
Teacher: Alysha Carmody

Runner-Up $125 A Change of Heart
Bacon Academy High School, Colchester
Students: Edward Baxter, Hannah Borsari, Kayla Maldonado, Kristina Paggioli & Lexi Curtis
Teacher: Paula Berglund

MIDDLE SCHOOL WINNERS
Overall Winner $250 Kindness will Shine Through
Interdistrict School for Arts and Communications (ISAAC), New London
Student: Leslie Mendez
Teacher: Chris Blackshaw

Runner-up $125 A Helping Hand
Mystic Middle School, Old Mystic
Student: Catherine McWilliams
Teacher: Jessica Monahan

Honorable Mention $75 Brightness in the Dark
Interdistrict School for Arts and Communications (ISAAC), New London
Student: Taina Garrett
Teacher: Chris Blackshaw

Envision Kindness is grateful for support from generous donors, Bowdenwein Foundation, Pfizer Groton Labs and Southeast CT Cultural Coalition for helping to make the Arts & Letters Program possible.
Envision Kindness will be launching a Photography Contest ‘Our World Is Kind’ which challenges photographers to use the power of their lens to capture the kindness around them early this summer. For more information about this contest, please visit www.envisionkindness.com

About Envision Kindness
Envision Kindness is a nonprofit organization based in East Lyme, CT with a simple mission: to promote and inspire acts of kindness, compassion, and empathy. Many Envision Kindness programs focus on youth engagement because young people can be powerful catalysts for change in our communities. Based on the neuropsychology of how images affect people, Envision Kindness collects a diverse array of representations of kindness and shares them with the public to stir the inborn predisposition to kindness. Founded by David Fryburg, M.D and his eldest son Jesse Fryburg, Envision Kindness pictures the world as a better place through kindness, compassion, and empathy. For more information, please visit www.envisionkindness.org and follow @EnvisionKindness on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. #pictureabetterworld