INDIAN ISLAND – A pupil from Indian Island School has been awarded a prize in the 2008 Native American Student Artist Competition sponsored by the Department of Education, Office of Indian Education.

Artwork titled “Education, Language and Culture are my Friends” by first-grader Nibeni Dana was awarded third place in the kindergarten to second grade division.

The annual event, sponsored by the Office of Indian Education and coordinated by Kauffman & Associates Inc., is designed to encourage student artists to explore the connections between American Indian culture and educational success.

The 2008 competition also introduced a personal narrative category for writers in grades six through 12.

The theme for the 2008 competition is “Circle of Empowerment: Education, Language, Culture, Tradition.”

Entries were judged by a panel of artists from the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Indian Education Association and American University based on originality, relationship to the contest theme, creativity, composition and control of materials.

Images of the student artwork may be viewed at www.indianeducation.org/sac/

gallery.