Honorable Mention - High School
Claremore High School AKA Group, Claremore

Through the Looking Glass

Our collage, "Through the Looking Glass," is not just a mirrored reflection of life growing up in a small Oklahoma community -- it is much more. The glass is the window through which we view life. The window's framework represents education and family experiences that have instill in us values, structure and purpose.

At first, we had the notion to just give a student's perspective of "our town" as seen through the window of a classroom. However, we quickly realized that any student's educational experience is primarily shaped by what takes place both in the classroom and at home. While the window represents the structure of school days, the floral wallpaper represents the nourishing environment that we call home.

Through this framed piece of glass, we see the major elements that make up life in our town and beyond. We see both the reality of everyday life (the place where we live, learn, play, pray and work) and the vision for opportunities and growth that each reality provides.

"Our town," Claremore, Oklahoma, is by national standards a small town, both in population and in attitude. A trip to the local Wal-Mart or the grocery store still finds friends and neighbors on every aisle. Family-centered activities are still the mainstay for entertainment whether it is Friday night football, Little League sports, Sunday morning Church services, or a picnic at Claremore Lake. Our values and community life are no doubt greatly influenced by the fact that we live in the Bible Belt -- as noted in the fact that a church can practically be found on every street corner -- and that we are still greatly influenced by the pioneering spirit of our forefathers who tamed Indian Territory turning the land into productive fields.

At Claremore High School, our academic achievements are above the bar. The local school children playing outside during the day is an all too familiar sight for most of us in this town. The tetherball is a game a lot of us played while in grade school. Inside the schoolroom window there is a small table sitting under the window. On this table, there is a school bell, an apple and some Oklahoma History books. This is a teacher's table

Through the window, we see a landscape that includes two large fields; one is grass, and the other, wheat. In Oklahoma, land is important. It is quickly becoming a limited natural resource in our part of the state as more and more people move into our small communities. The last census had shown that Rogers County is the fastest growing county in the State. With that growth comes jobs and lifestyle opportunities and we are quickly realizing that not everyone owns a cow anymore or farms for a living. Still, the land remains a powerful symbol that represents our work ethic and the pioneering traditions we so value.

In the wheat field there is a combine. This is a form of work still done in Oklahoma. Harvesting crops is still a seasonal ritual just outside the city limits. We placed a small white church in the wheat field to show how church is still a part of our lives.

This collage represents a view of our town, Claremore, through the looking glass.