SOROPTIMIST LIVE YOUR DREAM ART CONTEST VOTING NOW OPEN
Public invited to vote on favorite artwork at LiveYourDreamCampaign.org

February 19, 2009
Contact: Kamali Brooks, Public Relations Manager
215-893-9000 x130

PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—The polls are open! Soroptimist received more than 4,300 entries for its Live Your Dream art contest, which asked girls and boys from kindergarten to 12th grade to draw a woman who inspires them. Now it is up to the public to determine the winners by visiting LiveYourDreamCampaign.org to vote on their favorite artwork.

Soroptimist, an international volunteer organization for business and professional women whose mission is to improve the lives of women and girls, held the contest in honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month (which both take place in March) as a way to underscore the many heroic and inspirational contributions of women—throughout history and today. The contest was a fun and engaging way for students to consider how women have and continue to shape the world.

Public voting is open until March 8, International Women’s Day, which is the day Soroptimist celebrates Live Your Dream Day. Soroptimist will announce the winners on March 9.

Soroptimist received entries from many countries around the world, including Japan, Taiwan Province of China, the Philippines, Panama, Canada, Bangladesh, Australia, and the United States. Five prestigious judges narrowed the entries down to three finalists in each grade category: K-1, 2-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. Soroptimist staff included their favorites in one additional category. The top winner in each category will receive $100, as will their schools. A variety of entries, in addition to the finalists, are on display at LiveYourDreamCampaign.org.

Judges included Roger Roth, of Philadelphia, a children’s book illustrator and instructor at University of the Arts; Yuko Shimizu, of Japan and now a resident of Manhattan, an illustrator and instructor at the School of Visual Arts; Isabel Warren-Lynch, of New York City, executive director of art and design at Random House for eight imprints, including Knopf Delacorte Dell Books for Young Readers; Signe Wilkinson, of Philadelphia, head editorial cartoonist for Philadelphia Daily News, Pulitzer Prize winner, and one of only three female editorial cartoonists in the U.S.; and Bethany Burt, senior art director at the Merz Group, a branding firm located in West Chester, Pa.

“The abundance of entries we received from around the world was truly amazing,” commented Soroptimist President Alice Wells. “We’ve enjoyed seeing the creative and compelling depictions of the women who inspire today’s children. It really demonstrates that women, both past and present, are important role models in their lives. And it gets people to think about the potential of women to create a better world.”

Headquartered in Philadelphia, Soroptimist offers programs that improve the live of women and girls in three distinct areas: economic empowerment, ending violence, and gender equality. Its major program, the Soroptimist Women’s Opportunity Awards, provides cash grants for women seeking to improve their lives with the help of additional education and training. Each year, more than $1 million is disbursed to deserving women through this award-winning program. Soroptimist, a 501(c)(3) organization that relies on charitable donations to support its programs, also sponsors the Live Your Dream campaign in recognition of the power of women and their dreams. Visit the campaign's online home at: <LiveYourDreamCampaign.org>. For more information on how Soroptimist improves the lives of women and girls, visit <Soroptimist.org>.

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