Taylor Baines

Taylor Baines, an eighth grade student at the Kiski Area Intermediate School, took the first step to becoming an internationally recognized artist by winning a local competition sponsored by the Washington/Bell Township Lions Club. Baines's poster was among more than 325,000 entries submitted worldwide in the 15th annual Lions International Peace Poster Contest. Lion's Clubs International is sponsoring the contest to emphasize the importance of world peace to young people everywhere. Her poster will now advance to the next level of judging, the district in Greensburg. Her entry will compete with entries from other local Peace Poster Contest winners and then move on to three more rounds of competition if she is declared the internationals grand prize winner.

Ultimately one prize winner will be selected from 24 international finalists. The grand prize includes a cash award of $2,500 in addition to a bus trip for the winner and two family members to New York City for the awards ceremony at Lions Day with the Untied Nations. As merit, award winners, the remaining 23 finalists will each receive certificates and a cash award of $500.

Taylor and tow other students were honored for their participation at the Washington/Bell Lions Club meeting on Monday. Taylor received a certificate and a $50 savings bond, the runners up Anthony McGraw and Cassandra Walsh received certificates and a $25 savings bond each.