March 24, 2020 – Nevada County Superintendent of Schools, along with our partners, the Bridgeport Restoration Celebration (BRC) Committee, would like to announce the winners of the “Flowing Through History – The Bridgeport Bridge Restoration Project” art competition. Winners will not only receive a cash prize and a gift certificate to a local restaurant (teachers of an entire class submission will receive a gift card to celebrate with their class participants), but will be a part of the first group to walk across the restored Bridgeport Bridge during the Grand Re-Opening Ceremony (to be determined) and receive a commemorative embossed medallion of the Bridge.  At the opening ceremony of the Bridge, their art will be displayed (or if it was a video, it will be streaming on the screen in the Visitor’s Center).We are hoping to celebrate all winners in a recognition ceremony at the Nevada County Superintendent of Schools office at a later date in the year (yet to be determined). 

There were over 340 entries and eight (8) video entries from TK-12th grades; it was a remarkable display of student creativity and expression of one of our historical landmarks.  Currently, we are displaying all the art at the Nevada County Superintendent of Schools office (you can also see them on our Facebook page) and will continue to do so for quite some time.  It has brought such joy to all NCSOS staff and visitors. Thank you to our three judges who had quite the challenging task at choosing the few who won; Matt Green and Mary Moyer from State Parks, Steve Sanchez from the Save Our Bridge Campaign Committee and Judy Nielsen, retired Arts Coordinator from the Nevada County Superintendent of Schools office. They have expressed it was a joy to view all art and videos.

The winners are listed below:

Grade TK:     Tuli Friant – Arete Charter Academy (Drawing)

Grade K:        Abby Quist – Arete Charter Academy (Drawing)

Grade 1:        Elijiah Mills – Bell Hill School (Drawing)

Grade 2:        Julia di Cristina – Bell Hill School (Drawing)

Grade 2 & 3: Combo Class – Williams Ranch School (Drawing/Poster)

Grade 3:        Beatrice Fitz – Bell Hill School (Drawing)

Grade 4:         Shivaya Napier Colon – Bell Hill School (Drawing)

                        Jayden McCluskey – Alta Sierra Elementary School (3D Model)

Grade 5:         David Ban – Williams Ranch School (Drawing)

                        Alexis Roenspie – Cottage Hill School (3D model)

                        Julianne Browne – Seven Hills School (Video)

                        Micah Gordon, Riley Gorson, Daniel Vogt – Vantage Point Charter (Video)

Grade 6:        Ava Ban – Ready Springs School (Drawing)

Grade 7:        Jamey Reeser – Grass Valley Charter Discovery Studies (Drawing)

                       Lily Richard – Magnolia Intermediate School (Video)

Grade 8:        Lily Tamo – Arete Charter Academy (Drawing)

                       Riley Urke – Magnolia Intermediate School (Video)

Grade 9:        Jessica Davis – Sierra Academy of Expeditionary Learning (Drawing)

Grade 11:      Anika Paredes – Nevada Union High School (Drawing)

Grade 12:      Zed Friedman – Nevada Union High School (Video)

For those interested, you may keep tabs on the progress of the restoration of the bridge by checking out the photo archive on the South Yuba River Park Association website (http://www.southyubariverstatepark.org/) and, under News, click on “Save Our Bridge Restoration”. If you have any questions about the bridge restoration project, contact the Save Our Bridge Campaign Committee at historicbridge.publicity@gmail.com.