WINONA LAKE – The winning artwork of the Lilly Center art contest is currently displayed in the alley of downtown Warsaw.
Students of Kosciusko County, in fourth through 12th grades, submitted their art following this year’s theme: Imagining Life at the Lake: Past & Future, according to a news release from the Lilly Center.
The theme of this year's art contest has been geared toward raising awareness and appreciation for the county’s lakes and streams.
Students created art that captures the interconnectedness between nature and humans and the persistence of plants and animals that live among people and architecture, the release states. Students also used the opportunity to reflect on land and water use changes, human impact on nature and what transformations students see in the future.
The Grace College art department evaluates artwork based on creativity, artistic merit and theme depiction. Along with the display in the alley next to City Hall in Warsaw, these pieces will be placed in a calendar for 2024. Several will be printed on cards and bookmarks.

Pictured is Whitko ninth-grader Catherine Deckena’s “The Lookout.” Deckena’s art placed first in the Lilly Center art contest. Photo Provided.

The art contest is one of four Lilly Center programs that focus on K-12 education. Lake Adventure Day, Classroom Lake Experience and destination field trips round out the rest.To sponsor the art contest and promote K-12 education programs in Kosciusko County, call 574-372-5281.

The Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams at Grace College conducts research, provides resources, engages and educates residents and collaborates with local organizations to help make the lakes and streams of Kosciusko County clean, healthy, safe and beautiful, stated the release.

A special thanks to sponsors the Zimmer-Biomet Foundation and Lake City Bank for making this program a possibility, stated the release.

For more information and contest details, visit lakes.grace.edu/artcontest/.