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Hardesty and Cooper named Metra Contest winners  Share
For the second year in a row, Beecher High School boasts a first and second place prize in the Metra Safety Poster Contest. Emily Hardesty received a first place in the 11th grade division and Steven Cooper was picked as the second place winner, also for 11th grade. The two students were enrolled in Drawing and Painting I last school year. Previously, they had completed two other art classes as electives at Beecher High School. Mrs. Donna Rodeghiero, art instructor at BHS, had required the class members to participate in the Metra Contest for their first semester grade. Hardesty was shocked when she received notification of her top placement in the railway's competition because she has ''never won anything before.'' The reward for her outstanding design is a notebook computer, which she will receive at a special ceremony with the Metra Board of Directors in August. In addition, Hardesty will be presented with a plaque showing her poster, name and award. Furthermore, her winning design will be used next year by Metra as one of its safety posters and be displayed in Metra stations and on the Metra Safety Calendar. Cooper also was surprised by his second place award. About a week later, he received $250 worth of American Express gift cards for his exceptional drawing.
Cooper admitted that he was not thrilled with the idea of entering the contest, but he is grateful to Rodeghiero for placing the expectation upon his class. He still has not decided how to spend his prize. A pleased Rodeghiero praised Hardesty and Cooper. ''Considering the contest is open to all the schools in the six-county area in and around Chicago, this is no small feat, in my estimation! And to win not only one but two places for two years in a row, shows the amazing talent that our BHS students possess,'' she said. Hardesty and Cooper are gifted not only in art but also musically, with strong family backgrounds in the two areas. Hardesty plays the French horn in the high school band, and Cooper plays the guitar as a hobby. Although both students have a desire to continue in art and will do so during their senior year at BHS, neither is sure how their talent will be applied to their future education or vocation. Only time will show the aptitude cultivated at Beecher High School. The two students competed against students from several other schools in the Metra contest. Students in kindergarten through high school in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties submitted posters to the third annual competition in March. The contest, created to enhance railway safety awareness among school age children, received thousands of posters with the theme, ''Safety Rules: Look, Listen and Live.'' A first, second, and third place winner was chosen from each of the grades. Top posters were selected based on articulation of this year's theme, along with creativity, originality, and achievement of other contest guidelines. For a complete list of contest winners and a gallery of their posters, visit www.metracontest.com. Cornell Hudson is a reporter for Russell Publications.
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