Brady Middle School student wins award in statewide art and writing contest

PEPPER PIKE, Ohio — Brady Middle School student Ivy Berlin has been selected as the sixth-grade art winner in the 2022 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Art, Writing and Multimedia Contest, sponsored by the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

The statewide contest is intended to encourage students to reflect upon King’s life, philosophy and impact on the Civil Rights movement and present-day America.

Students are challenged to create art and corresponding essays that describe how civil rights and diversity affect their lives and how they can continue King’s work in their own way.

This year’s theme was “Fighting Against Injustice.”

Winners at each grade level, 6-12, were selected based on originality, relevance to theme and effective and creative expression.

The winners will be honored in an online awards ceremony at 10 a.m. Feb. 24. For more details, visit crc.ohio.gov/PublicAffairs/MLKContest.aspx.

Mock Trial teams advance

Four Orange High School Mock Trial teams are advancing to the regional competition, which will be held virtually Feb. 18. They are teams Wicked Twister, Gemini, Dragster and Maverick.

Team Wicked Twister includes seniors Kerry Kelly and Ben Scheps and sophomores Fiona Berns and Mira Swirsky, as well as witnesses Lily Regele, a senior; sophomores Mira Batra, Maya Korland and Gabe Feinberg; and freshman Branden Wang. Its legal advisers are Jeff Ubersax and Jeff Saks.

Team Gemini is composed of juniors Kaleb Berns, Emma Berlin, Truman Williams, Krish Mehra, Brian Gent, Cameron Hurwitz, Remy Perry and Caitlin Jonke. Its legal adviser is Jeffrey Leikin, who also serves as vice president of the Orange Board of Education.

Team Dragster is made up of seniors Aidan Stearns, Kate Halloran, Mia Peterman, Chloe Haddon, Allie Ahn, Peyton Weiss and Nora Igelnick. Its legal adviser is Scott Heasley.

Team Maverick includes juniors Marissa Goldschmidt, Teresa Achkar, Jenna Friedman, Lily Warshawsky, Taylor Silverstein, Sophia Stepanyan, Eliana Uher and Max Sigel. Its legal adviser is Chuck Jarrett.

At the Orange Board of Education meeting Monday (Jan. 24), Leikin said the Orange teams have been using Garfield Memorial Church in Pepper Pike for their virtual competitions and that the site has been working out well.

The state competition is slated for March 10-12, but it hasn’t been announced yet whether it will be in person or virtual, said Lou DeVincentis, the district’s director of communications.

The Ohio Mock Trial program challenges students to learn more about the intricacies of the criminal justice system. The competition is sponsored by the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education.

Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun.