Honorable Mention - High School Division
5 Star Academy
Afton, OK
Oklahoma: Affairs of the State
In the short one hundred years it has been a state, Oklahoma politics has a history rich in progress and controversy. It has a political history influenced by many things. Our collage represents this illustrious history. Our title "Oklahoma: Affairs of the State" is indicative of the political process.
We chose our colors red, blue and white stars border to show our patriotic connection to the United States government and the connection between the state and federal levels. It also indicates our pride in being civic minded and one's duty in being involved in local, state and federal affairs.
In the background, we chose newspaper headings to indicate the influence media has in politics. In the beginning of statehood, newspapers were one of the main sources of information. As shown on our collage, the Tulsa World and Daily Oklahoma have had the most influence. We also wanted to pay political homage to the many local newspapers as shown by their various newspaper headings. Our newspaper wallpaper also includes pictures of the first pioneers of the newspapers and their desire to bring the political issues to the people. Many of our articles pay tribute to the beginnings of our state. Our beginnings were steeped in controversy and progress. The controversy, of course, included whether we would be one state or two: the state of Oklahoma and the Indian state of Sequoyah. One state eventually won out. The Indian seals located within the background of the collage indicate our rich Indian heritage and the fact that they are political identities within our state. The land run which began our history as a state and pictures of the moving of the capitol to Oklahoma City from Guthrie were also political changes and progress within our state. Without the land run, the state would not have been formed. Many of the articles are about the ratification of the state constitution which during its time was progressive towards labor and women rights.
Our mosaics of the symbols of the Democratic and Republican parties pay homage to the influence political parties have had in our state. From the beginning when 38 farmers, 29 lawyers, 14 merchants, 8 ministers and a handful of others from the differing parties structured the new Oklahoma government, parties played a major role. Political parties of varied have fought for labor, farmer, women, Native American and African American rights within our state.
The oil derrick represents the fact that industry has influence within the politics of our state. During the early years, oil played a big role. One of our governors, Earnest Marland, was an oil man. In many ways, oil and other industries have influenced the politics and economy in Oklahoma. The pictures on the oil drops show our past and present governors as well as individuals who greatly influenced political change in our state from everything to the economy, education, and individual rights. It also shows our leaders including those who have been very progressive such as Brad Henry to those who have created political scandal such as Governor Jack Callaway Walton. Other individuals such as Kate Barnard, who was a crusader and convinced legislation to authorize mental hospitals, reformatories, and orphanages to Will Rogers who was a homespun philosopher and active in politics helped bring about reform in our state. Others such as Alice Mary Robertson, who was the first woman elected to the US House of Representatives from Oklahoma in 1921, brought changes to Oklahoma from the federal level.
Our collage shows those ideals and people that have shaped Oklahoma politics to what it is today and will continue to shape and influence its future.
Michelle Johnson
5 Star Academy #21
Afton, OK |
