HIGH SCHOOL POSTER CONTEST
"You can make a difference"

THE CHRISTOPHERS ANNOUNCE WINNERS OF 
35th ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL POSTER CONTEST 
 

NEW YORK, NY - May 8th, 2025 - The Christophers announce the three top prize winners, in addition to ten honorable mentions, today in their 35th Annual Poster Contest for High School Students.      

    Every year, students – grades 9 through 12 – are invited to create a poster that visually interprets the timeless theme, “You Can Make a Difference.” This year’s contest drew entries from high schools across the United States. As always, students employed a wide range of media in their submissions, from personalized photograph collages to stunningly detailed paintings. Sarah E. Holinski, The Christophers’ Youth Coordinator, noted, “Our winning poster entries this year, both digital and hand-created, continue to highlight some truly exceptional individuals who convey the importance of putting words into actions when it comes to having a lasting impact on the lives of others. Whether paying tribute to the life of a retired high school football coach with Alzheimer’s, volunteering at a local Ronald McDonald House, or even something as simple as encouraging a love of reading at an early age, these philanthropic young people truly exemplify, through their vivid artistic renderings, just what it means to make a difference.”

           
    First prize went to Alyssa Pontz, a senior at Capstone Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, whose poster consists of a photograph of herself and her friend reading to a group of children, demonstrating just how much of a difference one meaningful story can make. Pontz’s poster is decorated with stars of varying sizes, and the entire picture appears to be bathed in warm, inviting light. The phrase “You can make a difference” is printed across the top of the page in gold lettering, along with a smaller piece of advice to “Share your light!” written across a jagged cloudburst of yellow light below. What makes this scene all the more poignant is that Alyssa and her friend are presenting a book they illustrated and wrote themselves, respectively.

    In a follow-up email to The Christophers, Alyssa, explained, “We created a children’s book [A Guide to Butterflies (In Your Stomach): A Book for Kids’ Worries] that focuses on different ways kids can handle their anxieties and worries. She [author Sophia Rose] is an excellent writer, and I had the pleasure of illustrating it, and bringing the characters to life. We had the opportunity to read in front of a class, and it was magical.”

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    “It was special to work on the book and share it online,” Pontz concluded, “but reading it in front of kids was especially enlightening. We got to watch them react as we read and hear their thoughts about the book after. It was a wonderful experience, and I really felt like what we had created made a difference.”

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    Speaking of seeing what you built come to life, second place winner Sonali Hobson, a University High School junior from Tucson, Arizona, made her prize-winning poster utilizing two personal photographs. One picture features a row of some of the uniformed children she worked with during a “mission trip to Kenya” with her church group when she was fifteen. The other one is a close-up shot of Sonali holding one of the beaming kids in her arms. Nestled between the two photos against a white background is a quote taken from Galatians 5:13: “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free, but do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh. Rather, serve one another humbly, in love.” On top of the poster is a thin photo strip showing a buffalo grazing against a blue sky, along with the printed reminder, “You can make a difference.” On the left side of the poster is an outline of the country of Kenya colored in red, the spot where Hobson and her church visited clearly marked and delineated in black lettering.

    “My church, and I went,” Sonali wrote in a note to The Christophers, “and ministered to the Maasai Tribe [in Kenya]. We built a church for a congregation that met under a tree, spent time/playing with kids in schools, and performed vacation-Bible-school style for them. My most favorite moments were physically talking to and hanging out with girls my age from the Maasai Tribe.”

    “My love of culture was awakened,” Sonali concluded, “and colors flew as time slowed. I didn’t want to leave them…I prayed that God would allow our paths to be crossed again…There is a ripple effect on kind actions and words spoken to people.”

    Third prize winner Aryanna Duarte, a senior at Woodside High School in Woodside, California, displayed the widespread benefits of kindness in action to great effect with her poster, which is comprised of pictures of herself and a few of the young players she worked with at EPIC (Everyone Plays in Our Community) Soccer.

    “EPIC Soccer is a community-driven initiative designed to bring together players of all skill levels and ages to enjoy the sport in a fun, inclusive, and competitive environment,” Aryanna explained in an email to The Christophers, “When I was helping with it, the program focused on providing both recreational and competitive soccer opportunities, often organizing local tournaments, skill-building sessions, and team practices.”

    “The goal was not just to develop players’ abilities,” Duarte concluded, “but to foster a sense of camaraderie, sportsmanship, and love for the game. It was a rewarding experience, watching players grow and seeing the positive impact soccer had on their lives.”

    Here at The Christophers, for the past 80 years, we have striven, through various forms of media, to answer our founder, Father James Keller’s, call to celebrate those who make a difference, not just through the gentleness of words, but through the living example of actions. Whether taking the time to help others or utilizing their creative talents to remind children they are not alone in their struggles, this year’s poster contest winners epitomize what it means to make a difference in both word and deed. We offer our sincere appreciation to all the applicants who worked so hard on their artistic portrayals, and encourage them to keep lighting candles in the darkness.