The Freeman's Lantern-Making Contest: Agus, Mohon take grand prize

CEBU, Philippines – Agus Elementary School and Mohon National High School are chosen grand winners of The FREEMAN's 3rd Light a Star-Lantern Making Contest (on-the-spot), an annual Christmas competition for grade school and high school students in the Visayas.

Both schools bested all other nine finalists in their respective categories during the final judging on Saturday.

In the elementary category, Punta Princesa Elementary School and San Nicolas Elementary School came in second and third placers, respectively, while entries of Marigondon National High School and Bankal National High School placed second and third, respectively, under the high school category.

Winners will be awarded tomorrow and shall receive cash prizes and gift items.

The first placer in the elementary category shall receive P10,000 cash and four Timex watches for each of the member contestants, including their adviser, second and third placers shall receive P8,000 and P5,000 respectively.

The grand winner in the high school category shall get P15,000 and four Timex watches, while the second and third placer will get P10,000 and P7,000 respectively.

The readers' choice per category will also receive P2,000 each.

Bario Luz Elementary School was elementary category's readers' choice while Marigondon National High School was the secondary category's readers' choice.

There are also 25 lucky voters who won the raffle draws.

The FREEMAN's Light a Star-Lantern Making Contest is conducted every year in the aim to discover the artist within elementary and high school students in different parts of the Visayas.

This year, over 130 elementary and high school students from 45 schools in Cebu joined the competition and showed off their potentials in arts and creativity in the on-the-spot lantern making notwithstanding time constraint and limited resources.

The on-the-spot lantern making was held on November 12 and 13 at the 4th floor of The FREEMAN building. It was participated by 32 elementary schools and 13 high schools.

Each category has different mechanics but both share the same goal of uncovering the talents and brilliance of students in coming up with a beautiful lantern out of trash.

Elementary participants were told to use candy wrappers as their main material while high school participants used old CDs and DVDs.

Aside from enhancing their artistic sides, students were also taught the value of teamwork and the eye for things that may be re-used instead of just throwing it in the trash bins.

Ma. Teresa Campo, guidance counselor of Mohon National High School who stood as their school students' coach in the competition, said that her students contributed a lot in the concept of their winning entry.

The students also surprised her for finishing the lantern within the allotted time despite the pressure.

"Ang concept sa among star is mu-light siya sa belen mao to nga gibutang ang belen sa tunga. CD ang among gigamit but ang among paggamit niya is in a way nga dili mugawas nga CD gihapon iyang porma," Campo said.

The disks were cut in small uniform pieces and glued to the base where they appeared like pieces of broken glasses. (FREEMAN)