Everyone loves festive holiday cards, including our school system. Every year the administrative team along with the WSFCS Board of Education selects a holiday card to send out and support students while spreading holiday cheer. This year, Zuri Sweatt´s card was chosen to represent West and Chloe Randell´s card was chosen by Board Chair Malishai Woodbury.
¨The county mandates that we have a school system wide competition, so were asked that we
give them cards to choose from, so that’s what is done for on the county level. And I think on the
school level, that they kind of piggyback on that and select one from the school to use as a
representation,” art teacher Nathan Newsome said.
Representing our school with her festive ornaments, junior Zuri Sweatt´s holiday card was chosen by
the administration. Sweatt explains how unexpected and sweet winning the contest was for her.
¨I was very surprised [when I found out my artwork was selected] because I always loved art but I never really got chosen for those art awards, and I really tried hard to improve in art so I think it showed that all my hard work and dedication really paid off,” Sweatt said.
Inspired by her memories of earlier holiday traditions, Sweatt drew the glittery ornaments to provoke hope and light to anyone that sees her card.
¨I chose my card because I remember whenever I was younger we would always choose out ornaments at the store before every Christmas and I remember that I always thought they were super pretty,¨ Sweatt said.
Along with our school, the board of education members choose their favorite cards, Chloe Randell´s was chosen by Board Chair, Malishai Woodbury.
¨The board of education and the superintendent, they also select student artwork, so Chloe’s artwork was selected by one of the school board members. What they’re trying to do, rather than buying box cards, they’re trying to promote student artists, so they actually print out the cards and send them out as their holiday cards,” art teacher Elizabeth Betson said.

¨I´m very proud of Chloe and the work that she did, and I think she really captured the spirit of Christmas by looking into the snow globe and just the hope and peace of the season. And she’s also very unique in the way that she approached her artwork because she did it digitally, which is a little bit different than the traditional hand drawn card,¨ Betson said.
Using her unique digital approach and contrasting images, Chloe Randell impressed Woodbury by capturing the spirit of Christmas through her globe holiday card.
¨I’m very proud about it, and it’s not really something that I expected to be recognized for but I’m really proud and happy about it,¨ Chloe Randell said.
¨My teacher Mrs. Betson gave examples of very contrasting artwork and I wanted to include that in my piece which is why there is a glowing orb which is contrasting with the face,¨ Randell said.
In an effort to encourage student artists by choosing their well done holiday cards, as well as bringing hope to others during the holiday season, the school system recognized Chloe Randell and Zuri Sweatt for their hard work and festive artworks.