For Immediate Release
Contact:
Ed Levin
Publicity Director
Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta
levins51@verizon.net
610-246-5902
Annual Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta Art Poster Contest Winners to Be Announced and Grants to City’s Summer Rowing Programs.
After having been forced to cancel last year due to the coronavirus, the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta will be staged this Saturday, May 8, 2021! The Dad Vail Regatta Organizing Committee (DVROC), organizers of the prestigious Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta, presented by Independence Blue Cross, Coca-Cola and PECO are pleased to announce the winners of the 19th Annual Dad Vail Regatta Art Poster Contest staged this spring for budding young artists attending Philadelphia area public, private and parochial schools.
Jim Hanna, President of the Dad Vail Regatta Organizing Committee said, “The Dad Vail Regatta is far more than a regatta, persisting in offering students the opportunity to be recognized for their artistic ability and to be rewarded for their distinguished achievements by way of our 19th annual Art Poster Contest.”
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and Jim Hanna, President of the Dad Vail Organizing Committee will announce the cash awards at a press conference on Saturday, May 8 at 9 AM. amidst the opening races of the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta, which will be celebrating its 82nd anniversary. Additionally, Dad Vail will continue to be a benefactor for both Philadelphia City Rowing and the Lloyd Hall Advisory Council Summer Rowing Program, continuing an over twenty-year history in support of empowering under-resourced Philadelphia City public school students to reach their highest potential through rowing.
This year, the return of the Dad Vail Regatta Art Poster Contest along with the return of the Regatta will be especially remembered due to the unique challenges the students faced that took hold of the country last spring. Philadelphia Public and Charter school students were unable to participate due to the student’s inability to attend school in-person. The Parochial school students had their own challenges with limited ability to art supplies due to the hybrid nature that limited student’s ability to get into the school building on a daily basis.
Hanna added, “The students who participated in this year’s contest should be commended for their creativity during these challenging times that limed their time in the classroom due to the ongoing pandemic. I also wish to extend a special expression of gratitude to Sister Lauretta Linsalata, IHM, of Archbishop Ryan High School, and to Deb Klose of the Philadelphia Public School System for their support and assistance in overcoming the adversities of Covid-19 in staging this competition.”
The contest, which challenges Philadelphia area high school students to best depict the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta, North America’s largest and best-known collegiate regatta, has five categories of prizes; Grand Prize, First Place, Second Place, Third Place and Honorable Mention.
Members of the Dad Vail Regatta Organizing Committee, The School District of Philadelphia and the Office of Catholic Education comprised the judging committee.
The Winners of the 2021 Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta Art Poster Contest are:
Grand Prize
Megan Lyons
First Place
Mairead McDermott
Second Place
Chaela Barnett
Third Place
Mia Galindez
Honorable Mention
Angelique Bayron
Jake Cahill
Justin Chen
Natalie Cheng
Emma Prushan
Michaela Raines
