Discovery Middle School students Maddy Moe, Isabella Guerra, Luke Allison and Dylan Sanchez earned top awards in the Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month Art Contest. These students study art with Raquel Spiegel, in photo. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Four student artists at Discovery Middle School ranked as top entrants in the Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month Art Contest.

Maddy Moe received first-place honors as winner in the contest. Also from Discovery, Isabella Guerra ranked in second place for her artwork.

Luke Allison’s design won third place. Dylan Sanchez received honorable mention. These students are in Raquel Spiegel’s art classes at Discovery.

Rosie’s International Services Inc. sponsors the contest.

Master Sgt. Edward L. Gaston with the U.S. Army thanked Spiegel and her students for their participation.

“Your efforts to encourage our youth to explore individualism through arts are truly appreciated,” Gaston said in correspondence to Spiegel. “The portraits we received have further proven that children are putting forth efforts to explore innovative opportunities to express their place within our society.”

“Through competitions, we have observed competitiveness to be a beneficial method to encourage uniqueness and talents,” Gaston said.

The contest coincides with Asian-Pacific Heritage Month in May.

Several agencies in Washington D.C. collaborate to recognize contributions from generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders: Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. (asianpacificheritage.gov)

In 1977, a congressional bill originated the observance. Then in 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a joint resolution for the annual recognition. President George H.W. Bush expanded the weeklong celebration into Asian-Pacific Heritage Month.

In 1992, the official designation of May as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month was signed into law.

Moe, Guerra, Allison and Sanchez, along with Spiegel, were invited to a program to commemorate Asian-Pacific month in the Sparkman Center on Redstone Arsenal on May 18. The Discovery group and relatives, soldiers and civilians attended the event.