MCS student wins global Toyota art contest award

Atkins Kroll sales manager Kevin Barnes, left, presents 14-year-old Mount Carmel School student Jeewoo Son, right, a plaque and $5,000 check Saturday at Atkins Kroll showroom for winning the “Mobility for All” special award at global level for the 2021 Toyota Dream Car Art Contest. Mount Carmel vice principal Filmah Buenaflor, center, also receives the Toyota Motor Corp.’s $10,000 check awarded to the school. (FERDIE DE LA TORRE)

A 14-year-old ninth-grade student at Mount Carmel Catholic School beat out more than one million entries worldwide to win a “Mobility for All” special award at the global level for the 2021 Toyota Dream Car Art Contest, winning not just $5,000 for herself but also $10,000 for her school.

At the awarding ceremony at Atkins Kroll Saipan last Saturday, Atkins Kroll sales manager Kevin Barnes said that Jeewoo Son’s artwork, titled “WRAP CAR,” stood out from 1,190,000 entries from 75 countries and regions.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Atkins Kroll Saipan received 265 submissions from Saipan and Guam, Barnes said.

Son’s drawing and that of eight others moved on to the global level of the contest.

Barnes handed Son the Mobility for All” award plaque and Toyota Motor Corp.’s check for $5,000.

Son, who said it was her mother who informed her that she won at the global level, said it took her one week to finish her drawing. She has been drawing more than 10 years now and also won the same contest in 2018 at the Saipan level.

Her mother, Ju Young Lee, also loves to draw.

Son’s winning entry, called” World, Rescue, Assist, Protect,” or WRAP, is a car that saves and cures people from all natural disasters and viruses on Earth. The car can fly so it’s easy for people far away to rescue and remove obstacles and move people inside safely. The interior of the car is equipped with all the facilities for everyone to live safely and comfortably.

Barnes also presented Toyota Motor Corp.’s $10,000 check to Son’s school, Mount Carmel Catholic School, to further develop the school’s future inventors, thinkers, and innovators. Mount Carmel vice principal Filmah Buenaflor received the check.

“On behalf of everyone here at Atkins Kroll Saipan, congratulations Jeewoo Son and Mount Carmel Catholic School. We hope you continue to explore your dreams,” Barnes said.

Buenaflor said they are very honored with Son winning at the global level and that the $10,000 cash award will help Mount Carmel’s art classes.

Barnes said the Toyota Dream Car Art Contest is held for children all over the world to draw their “Dream Car.” As many as 6.2 million children from 100 countries/regions have participated since 2004.

Earlier this year, Atkins Kroll Toyota invited children from all over the Marianas to share ideas about the future of mobility using their imagination and drawing their dream cars.

Barnes said Toyota believes in nurturing the creativity of the next generation of inventors, thinkers, and innovators.

The contest is open to students in the following age categories—under 7 years old, 8-11 years; and 12-15 years.

First held in 2004 in Japan, the contest continues to be the largest international art contest that allows children to share their ideas about the future of automobiles and encourages children to pursue their dreams.

Worldwide, finalists were selected in three age categories to participate in the global competition.

Barnes said that, instead of students coming in one by one with the submissions, the schools were able to kind of facilitate this innovation process and participate as a classroom or as a school.

Barnes said the $10,000 cash award is for Mount Carmel to use to further children’s education in their school.

“It’s a good incentive and motivation just to be able to better our community so that they can continue to facilitate this type of thing and their students, art innovation, imagination,” he said.

Barnes said this year they had about 120 entries from schools on Saipan alone.

This year, there was no Japan trip for the winner but there was the award and the cash incentive. Because of the state of the world right now, a trip for the Saipan winner to Japan just isn’t the logical thing to do at this time, Barnes said.

Barnes said that Son’s older sister did win in 2016 and at the time she was able to make it to Japan.

Son’s older sister, Yujeong Son, won the Saipan level of the same contest in 2016 when she was 11 years old and was able to travel to Japan with her family as part of the award. Then a 5th grade student from Oleai Elementary School, Yujeong Son was selected as one of the world contest winners in the 10th Toyota Dream Car Contest in 2016.