New Visions School fourth grade student Laiyla Salome-Diaz was honored at the annual Shanti Fund Peace Artwork Contest Luncheon held at Stonebridge Country Club in Hauppauge for her artwork that depicted peace and reflected the beliefs of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
Shanti Fund volunteers work with local schools to inculcate values of peace and nonviolence, as practiced and promoted by world leaders. Dr. Kishore Kuncham, Superintendent of Freeport Schools, reminded the gathering of the importance of practicing nonviolence and being warriors for peace as exemplified by Gandhi. Among other activities, the Shanti Fund encouraged students to depict peace in various facets through drawings. With hundreds of artworks submitted by students from first to 12 grades, only 12 peace posters were selected to be included in the Shanti Fund Peace Art calendar.
Laiyla won this prestigious award from among all fourth grade students in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Her picture depicted peace in the form of friendship, modeled by New Vision students. Laiyla was also awarded a check for $401 and selflessly donated the check to a good friend in need, who has been her classmate at New Visions since kindergarten.
Laiyla hopes "that this picture shows that anyone can help a friend and offer peace, love, friendship, beauty and help those in need."
