People, Places, and Things: 5-19-15

Lynn poster contest winner will be rolling alongWith 70 classmates cheering her on Monday, Kayda Vo walked over to a 12-ton delivery truck parked in the Lincoln-Thomson School yard and signed her name in black Magic Marker to a giant version of her “healthy food bowl” poster recreated on the truck’s side.”I’m very proud of her. It’s a humongous surprise,” said Vo’s mother, Kristy Nguyen.It is also a national honor for Vo, 11, who was picked along with five other students from across the country to win Preferred Meals’ healthy foods contest.Preferred marketing vice president Clare Keating said the Illinois firm launched the contest four years ago to encourage elementary school-age children to eat balanced meals.Preferred provides meals served every school day to 6,000 Lynn public school students. School art teacher Simone Kivett said fifth-graders in Lincoln-Thomson teacher Gerald Belliveau’s class drew healthy eating posters in February for the Preferred contest.”I feel it’s a good way to teach kids about something broader. It shows them what you can do with art,” she said.Vo said she has drawn for three years and tried to illustrate the contest’s theme by grouping several healthy foods together. Keating said Eastern Massachusetts residents will get a glimpse at Vo’s poster when the Preferred truck delivers meals to schools along its routes.Classical storytellers sweep slamClassical High School students showed off their storytelling skills at the May 2 regional high school “slam” sponsored by arts organization MassMouth, Inc. Strati Seranteas won first place in the Suffolk University competition for a $1,000 prize. Ashlee Fiore won a $500 second place prize. Freddy Hernandez won the audience choice prize worth $500, and Terri Smith won the $250 MassMouth choice prize.Other competing Classical students included Hailey Pappazoglou, Brian Ong, Isis Bryant, JKoy Samuel and Wally Kiongo. They won $25 each for participating.