January 20, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 20, 2016
For more information, contact:
Natalie Bailey
Moxley Carmichael
865-544-0088
Winners determined by local community votes
U.S. Cellular and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley in Knoxville are kicking off the first Black History Month Art Contest, which honors the many contributions of African-Americans and encourages young people to learn more about these current and historic influencers.
Chris Stokes of U.S. Cellular, left, looks on as April Mills works on her artwork for the Black History Month Art Contest at the North Ridge Crossing Boys & Girls Club. U.S. Cellular invites all Knox County residents to vote on the artwork in store Feb. 1-29.
Boys & Girls Club members are encouraged to research and learn more about African-American role models and their important contributions to society. They are then invited to create and submit an original 8.5 x 11 portrait representing the figure of their choice using any art medium from any point in history, including present day.
“We are looking forward to seeing the great art projects from the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley members. The level of creativity and talent is always amazing,” said Nathan Waddell, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in Tennessee. “U.S. Cellular’s commitment to education gives us the opportunity to partner with organizations here in Knoxville and across the country. This contest showcases the creativity and talents of our kids as they honor African-American leaders while celebrating our rich history of diversity.”
The top 10 finalists’ entries will be chosen by a panel from the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley and U.S. Cellular. Then, the art work will be displayed at local U.S. Cellular stores. The public is invited to view and vote on the artwork from February 1 to 29, and the top three artists – as determined by the number of votes – will receive prizes:
- $100 for 3rd Place
- $150 for 2nd Place
- $250 for 1st Place
“Our kids are excited about the contest, and we appreciate U.S. Cellular for sponsoring this opportunity,” said Lorene Jackson, interim president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley. “They are already researching, so we hope they learn many new things about these leaders. This is a great opportunity for them, and you never know which project may inspire and have a life-long impact on one of our members.”
The public can vote, starting on Monday, Feb. 1, by visiting U.S. Cellular stores. Participating locations include:
- 562 Winfield Dunn Parkway, Sevierville, TN 37876
- 2736 Schaad Road, Knoxville, TN 37921
- 8401 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919
- 4873 N. Broadway, Knoxville, TN 37918
About U.S. Cellular
U.S. Cellular is the fifth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States, providing national network coverage and industry-leading innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago-based carrier has a strong line-up of cutting-edge devices that are all backed by a high-quality network in big and small cities and rural communities, and currently, 99 percent of customers have access to 4G LTE speeds. U.S. Cellular was named a J.D. Power and Associates Customer Champion in 2014 for the third time in four years. To learn more about U.S. Cellular, visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com. To get the latest news, promos and videos, connect with U.S. Cellular on Facebook.com/uscellular, Twitter.com/uscellular and YouTube.com/uscellularcorp.
