2009 HONORABLE MENTIONS

Based on extensive criteria and multiple selection stages, these 30 entries were chosen by our "Frame My Future" Scholarship Team from over 3,300 entries! Each was awarded an Honorable Mention Certificate, in recognition of their outstanding entry.

Kristen Altvater In my future, I plan to graduate college and work for a company that builds devices to protect the Armed Forces. I will help design these products to ensure the safety of the men and women that risk their lives every day so we can have our freedom. I want to save their lives so they can return home safely to their families. In my future, I will be a hero to families all over the world, but they won’t know my name.

Cassandra Bawcum I feel like my creation reflects everything I want to be and achieve in life after college.  I want to be in advertising too, so using the collage shows off my creative side and sort of what I want to do with my career.  I want to be influential to others in my life involving family and my career.

Vanessa Brown For my 'Frame My Future' project I've chosen to make a collage of different situations and examples of people and children I hope to help after graduation. I am majoring in counseling, after graduation I want to spend some time as a social worker, then progress to a school counselor, after that possibly work in a family/marital counseling office. My goal, though, in all these different jobs is to help the hurting in whatever way possible, and restore their sense of hope through love and counsel.

Carly Corbett I believe that the past often shapes what we do in our future. As we grow and learn from experience, we make better and more informed choices. My past involves my family, close friends and a lot of hard work to earn 2 bachelor's degrees in 4 years! I know that my family will be there for me as I grow older and I aim to keep my friends along for the ride as well. As of September 2009, I will be attending Oxford Brookes University in Oxford, England in order to obtain a Masters in Publishing. I am solely responsible for financing this portion of my education, so any amount of scholarship aid would help me reach my goals of working in publishing and learning the industry on a global level. In an increasingly global world, I believe that travel and exploration of different cultures is the key to bringing peace and a better environment for all of humanity. My piece frames snapshots of my past while planning for my future.

Jessilyn Dearborn In the future I would like to illustrate children's books because I love to draw and I want to share with kids all of the things that I find fascinating. The picture books that I remember reading as a child have always stuck with me and I would like to have that same effect on future generations of children, showing them the parts of the world that can be the most inspiring.

Aprylle Deasey I love to write. It has been one of the most influential, most powerful, and most amazing things I have ever done throughout the course of my life. I write everything from novels to poems, and that's why I decided to enter a poem for this contest. This poem fits me perfectly because I am a writer, and I will publish something one day; that has always been my goal. Photography and the arts are hobbies, yes, but I am not quite so passionate about them as I am writing novels or poems. I tend to run a bit short-handed as far as drawing goes, and so I thought writing a poem to celebrate my future would be the perfect way to "frame my future". In truth, I see myself doing every single one of the things my poem describes; I will publish a novel, I will be researching in a forensics lab and I will be living with a husband, happily and comfortably. The unique structure of the poem also defines who I am as an individual today. It is how I view my future: uncertain and jarring, but solid as well. I find that the easiest way for me to write this poem was to do so creatively, and I do believe that it is unusual. I strive to be different, though, and I believe that I achieved this goal.

Lisa Dickson An equation for success: Opportunity. A new chapter of my life is beginning with the opportunity to go to college, further explore my interests, and pursue a career field. Knowledge. Through experiences and high school education, I am prepared for reaching new goals. Keys of the intangibles. Determined, persistent, positive, motivated, and a work ethic are all keys that I have developed, whether it is through leadership opportunities or athletics, I’ve got them. Willingness and eagerness to open the door and go for it.

Lauren Donahue I frame my future in medicine. Still, what I have most are my words; I feel that the English language and my use of it encompasses much of what I will do to change and improve the face of medicine, from speaking in conversations or in lectures, to writing papers. As such, I created the frame of my future- the medical symbol- through my tools of the present. I can use words to influence, persuade, console, and more; and it is in those words and their application, the strength, power, and determination, that I create my future. I will be a doctor, but I will do so much more than just gain the title. I will use this power to help people in need, and serve as a positive role model, an instrument of change, for the community. If I can frame my future using my words now, imagine what I’ll do with them once I get there.

Allison Hefely I chose to “Frame My Future” by creating a self-portrait drawing incorporating a few dreams that I have. I really enjoy the whimsical feel of the different areas of my life coming together into one piece. I plan on attending Portland State University next year, mainly for its great location. I have included a few buildings to represent the city. Growing up just twenty minutes from downtown Portland, I have come to know what a beautiful city it is filled with many interesting people and a great art scene. I dream of living there or in another urban area as an adult. This brings me to another part of my drawing, the career. While I am not yet set on a specific job for myself, I am positive that I want to follow my passion and work in the field of visual arts. The last couple of things are more representative. I included the silhouettes of the geese to show that no matter where life takes me, I will always find my way home to spend time with my friends and family (especially my mom, I don’t know what I would do without her). And finally, I chose to show wildflowers not only for their beauty, but because they are bright and fun and spontaneous. They can pop up anywhere at anytime. I want my future to be the same. I mean, how boring would it be to have everything planned out with no surprises? I know what I want to do, and I know what I have to do in order to accomplish my goals, but the most exciting part is going to be finding out what I encounter along the way!

Paulina Ho I took a picture of a drawing I did and photo shopped it a little bit. It is simply just an example of both fine arts and graphic design, which is what I'd like to pursue.

Chloe Kelleher This is how I "frame my future" because it depicts my personal and professional goals after college in a thought-provoking manner. It explains my aspirations to travel abroad. I will begin there to use my new found knowledge to begin a career in helping people, via psychology or human resources. It tells of my desire to settle down and start a family, while playing an active role in the lives of my children. Finally, it describes my intent to share my life experiences with the next generation.

Laura Lewis Central to my future is my career, represented by the light bulb.  The twinkles emitted from the blub are descriptive terms that make up my career as well as the rest of my future, which all tie to progress.

Kaitlin Long Ever since I was little, my mom has told me that my creativity is going to take me places. That is what I wanted my piece to reflect; my creativity and passion to strive to be my best. I have so many ambitions that I hope will take me far in life and allow me to help others in the process. I know life is never perfect, but I cannot wait to have one that is mine to mold and shape into anything I want. Although my future changes with every decision I make today, I know one thing that will forever be framed; my family. They are my world and my life support and I cannot imagine having a future without them. It is them I have to thank for raising me the way I am in this world and for giving me the opportunity to choose my own path. I know regardless of what career I end up in and where I am living, I will be grateful to have that chance.

Molly Maeda This is how I frame my future as a passionate, driven person.  I plan to pursue a career in graphic design, live in San Francisco (my favorite city), and travel (to expand my horizons).  I see the importance of thinking outside of oneself and not just focusing on the negative things in life, but the positive things that lay ahead.

Lindsay Malatesta My future consists of many opportunities that I could not be more excited about. There are many options that I would like to explore as a possible career. I included the piano, architectural drafts, and drawing/painting materials because these are all fields I would like to explore. Art has become a large part of my life over my four years in high school and I have developed a passion for piano/music since I began playing piano when I was four. I want to be able to put my passions into a career and love what I do in my future. What the future holds is closer than ever as I approach my college education, meaning that the future is turning in to right now.

Nicole Marcotte When I peer into the frame of my future, I see a journalist.  I have always loved writing since a very young age, and that love has only grown stronger.  I am driven to find success through my writing, as I have written for both my high-school (Southwick-Tolland Regional High School) and college (Marist College) newspapers; I have worked as a Public Relations intern for former Superintendent of the Southwick-Tolland Regional School District; I have seen my work published in both local and regional newspapers.  That feeling of complete euphoria I experience knowing that others are inspired by my work, I know that I need to pursue journalism to its fullest.  My entry depicts my own hand physically putting inspiration onto a page, as I hope to do in the future.

Stacy Milbourn This is a collage of a picture of me writing and pieces that inspire me and represent my dreams and goals.  I wanted to be a writer since I was 4, and I think this represents my creativity.

Matt Moynihan I understand that your company specializes in the manufacturing and sale of diploma frames, and in no way through my entry do I mean to insult or degrade the value of a quality frame. I look around my home and see countless frames performing their duties beautifully, securing posters and pictures- images capturing still moments in time and forever keeping them safe and protected. While I truly appreciate the framed photos that lace the walls of my house and stir up warm feelings of nostalgia and happiness, I also believe that there are some things in life that cannot be framed- like my future. My future is intangible, ever-growing, and unpredictable. I constantly create a picture inside my mind of what my future may hold, but this picture is constantly changing as my knowledge and experience grow and my perceptions of myself and the world around me change. I feel like any attempt to frame my future would fall short of the endless possibilities that actually exist for me, and so I choose not to limit my future within the confines of any frame. Society constantly bombards me with social standards, regulations, and expectations, attempting to create a frame of what my future should hold- and so I choose to break this imposing frame. I choose to live my life with a cracked and broken frame, a frame that does not limit my potential, but keeps it open to whatever the world may throw my way, and whatever I may throw at the world. I have big plans for my future, as I am attending the University of Illinois and majoring in Biology, but I will begin my quest into college with the mindset that I express in my poem. I wish that we could all live with broken frames. I wish that we could all be open to the limitless possibilities that our futures truly hold. I wish that we could all escape the constraints of social expectation- the need for monetary success, the vices of power and pride, and the inherent evils of a closed mind. And so, I wrote this poem, to express the power that my broken frame embraces, and the power that I feel within myself to truly change our world for the better.

Laureen Olivarez As a fashion design student I hope to utilize basic skills I will obtain from school and my ability to think outside the box. After I earn a bachelor’s degree, I will be ready to start from the bottom and aggressively work my way up. I would like to get married, travel, and then start a big city family. Scissors, thread, needles, and a tape measure; these are the tools I use everyday. Through these simple tools I am inspired and envision my ultimate goals.

Stephanie Riesco Words have been a timeless way of connecting people across the world. Because of this, I want to frame my future by pursuing journalism in college. My passion for the English language, as well as my desire to express my opinions, also drive me to achieve this goal. In my entry, I portray a view of the world in which words and communication link us across our geographic boundaries. In times when our planet is so divided, news is a medium that enables people to form stronger connections through shared knowledge.

Sarah Riley I know I have very ambitious dreams for myself. Some would say impossible - but that is just limited perception of possible. I love cultures, photography, design, writing and fashion. I would love to intern and study abroad. After graduation, I want to start as a magazine editor to make my way to editor-in-chief of a leading fashion magazine. That is the plan. I have the passion to defy the fear of the unknown and be what I decide. I want to stargaze, dance, laugh with friends, grow a plant and photograph emotion. But more than anything, I never want to lose sight of my dream.

Rita Rosenfeld In the future, I would not only like to use my art to inform people of social, political and environmental issues, but also to be involved in trying to solve them. In my collage I included original work (a self portrait, editorial cartoon and painting) as well as things I would like to be involved in doing such as environmental design and joining the Peace Corps.

Rachel Roth My entry piece shows exactly what I plan to accomplish:  “bringing” wild Kansas into our world.  I want to inspire and educate the public about our prairies and contribute my own skills to preserving their natural ecology.  Our world is such a brilliant place, and I intend to contribute to its conservation as a wildlife veterinarian and field biologist, and simply through my art.

Emily Sidnam The word "create" reflects what I want to continue to do in my future. The words "write" and "design" behind it give background for what I want to pour that creativity into. My dream is find a profession where I can utilize my love for writing and graphic design. The quote is one I find motivating. It reminds me to never give up. I want to persevere, in hopes that out of the many ideas that spring forth, there may arise the beautiful, inspirational ones that make it all worthwhile.

Victoria Skillman Frame my Future in Forensics:  It is up to the forensic scientist to put together the evidence, like putting together the pieces of a puzzle.

Emily Terlak This piece is a self-portrait that I did in my Drawing I class in college. I believe that it represents how I will "Frame My Future." It is done in a pointillism technique- there are no drawn lines to dictate exactly what the picture is. Rather, it's a cluster of marks that suggest areas of visual interest. I feel like my education is very much the same. I think that a college experience is taking bits and fragments of every possible field that one can learn about and compounding them together to suggest a framework of how one sees the world. My goal is to become an art teacher. I've always loved art, and teaching too! As a child, I'd line up all my dolls and toys and teach them how to paint pictures- my grandparents' family room being the classroom. Now, along with attending classes, I teach park district classes that teach children how to interact with each other and how to create reflective artwork. These experiences, combined with my college education will frame my future into its fullest potential.

Jasine Treacy I see my life laid out before my eyes in this photograph; the city is my dormant soul waiting patiently to awake, stationary glowing lights represent my untouched potential, streams of riveting lights symbolize the many goals in life I wish to achieve, and together this simple photograph allows you to peer into the very heart of me. Photography is my way to allow you to see and feel what I do through my own eyes. And while the world is a blur of success, my goals remain in crystal clear focus.

Elizabeth VandeSande My drawing outlines my dreams for the future and my aspiration to make an impact on the whole world. In my post-high school education I plan to take on an art major, a marketing major, and to continue my second language with a French minor. The elements that will frame my anticipated future are represented with text on colorful ribbons. My hand holds in the center the most vibrant ribbon, conveying through what means I will make my future beneficial to the world- through advertising and design.

Lauren Vidak  I see my future taking me to Darfur, Sudan to help the victims of genocide.  I have been given the incredible opportunity to pursue an education, and I feel that the best way to utilize this education is by sharing it with those oppressed peoples who have not been granted the same opportunities.

Yangxue Zhou A detailed plan of my future is hard to make. I have goals both for the tantalizing near future to the far-away later, goals that both reflect hopeful tangible achievement to envisioning a possible way of life. I have so many interests right now, it seems a shame to close myself to any one!

Click here to meet our five Winners for 2009, and to view their entries!

Click here to meet our 19 Finalists for 2009, and to view their entries!