This program is the jewel of our educational efforts—an event attended by 600 students from over 30 schools. RAISE Foundation, Cal Poly Technic State University SLO, California Graphic Arts Education Association, The Castle Press, Graphic Arts Club of Los Angeles, Grafico, Inc., Kodak, Micro Perfect Systems, and Protrade, Inc.
The focus of this program is student participation. Each school designs and prints t-shirts identifying its graphic arts program. The t-shirts are judged for originality and print quality and cash prizes are given to the winning schools.
There is also an academic competition, which is comprised of three components. The first two components (a technical project and a written terminology test) are used to identify five schools to compete in the Academic Challenge (Jeopardy type) game at the Assembly. The competition is intense--and highly exciting--with the students in the audience picking a team to cheer on to victory.
Technical Project
The Technical Competition is the first of three rounds of competition for graphic arts students participating in the annual Academic Competition. Graphic art teams have to produce winning technical entries to qualify to go on to the second round of competition. See the details and rules for this year's competition here.
Last year the kids produced t-shirts that promote their school's graphic arts program. Here they are in alphabetical order by school:
Canoga Park, El Camino Real, Garfield, Hart, Rim of the World, Rosemead, San Fernando, South Pasadena, Venice and Woodbridge.
College Poster Competition
The design and production competition for college students was initiated in 2006 by the PIASC Education committee to provide college students with an opportunity to compete against their peers and win scholarships to continue their education in graphic communications.
Every year the Education Committee comes up with a different project where students can use their design abilities and production skills. See the details, rules, and prizes for this year's competition here.
Last year was the creation of a poster promoting safety in the workplace.
The following college competition winners received cash prizes from the RAISE Foundation for $600, $500, and $400.
The 2009 Winning Entries
Written Exam
Students go through a written exam to determine the five finalists for the academic challenge.
The 2009 Written Exam
Students have a run through of the Academic Challenge Game to prepare for the final round at the Student Assembly.
Academic Competition
The Final Round of competition is a jeopardy-like Question and Answer showdown between the five schools that scored highest in the written test in front of schools, teachers, and industry members.
The new Academic Challenge game is more like "Jeopardy".
Schools continue showing their support for their team by bringing handmade banners to cheer on their representative. Download the Study Guide for the 2010 competition here.
T-Shirt Competition
Last year the T-shirt design and production was part of the Technical Competition. This year we have a new challenge for students! This year students must design a T-Shirt stressing the importance of literacy and the value of reading on a daily basis. The design must be appropriate for young children. The T-Shirt must include the PIASC/RAISE Foundation slogan: “Read, Read, Read…the more you read, the more you know; and the more you know, the smarter you grow!” The T-Shirt can either be printed in-house or off-site but with the students’ participation.
If selected by the Education Committee, the winning T-Shirt’s design could be turned into a bookmark and be used as part of the 2010 PIASC/RAISE Literacy Campaign. This bookmark would be distributed to hundreds of libraries, schools, and ultimately thousands of children. There would be a credit line on the bookmark (if approved by the Education Committee) that will read: Designed by Graphic Arts Students from (Name of your School). Download PDF of this years T-shirt Competition details, rules, and prizes here.
Lunch... Sponsored by YOU!
Students enjoy the sack lunches that PIASC members so generously provided.
Clockwise from top left: students from San Fernando, El Camino, South Pasadena, Rosemead, and Bellflower High Schools. They all appreciated it very much.