Manassas Park Student Honored for Cherry Blossom Painting

A Manassas Park Elementary School student was named one of the winners of the Virginia School Boards Association Northeastern Regional Art Contest for her painting, "Cherry Blossoms."

Katelynn Ferrell, a fifth grader at the elementary school, painted a picture depicting the cherry blossoms in Washington D.C. which are in full bloom now.

The trees were given to the United States by Japan more than 100 years ago and bloom every spring.

Each year a festival and parade are held in honor of the blossoms, which are of special significance this spring because of the recent earthquake and subsequent tsunami and nuclear disasters in Japan.

Winners of the regional art contest are from elementary, middle and high schools representing each school division in the competition. The contest was judged by   school board members at this year's regional school board forum for area school board members, according to a press release issued by Manassas Park City Schools.

The contest began in 1989 and is purposed to promote the artistic talents of Virginia public school students.

Winning art work is displayed in Charlottesville at the office of the Virginia School Boards Association and in the office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in Richmond. 

Here is a list of the other winners:

Middle School Winner
Zartakshtai Khan Babai for the painting, "My Grandma"
Francis Scott Key Middle School

Fairfax County Public Schools

High School Winner
Christopher Green for the painting, "Dad"
Osbourn Park High School

Prince William County Public Schools