THE CHRISTOPHERS ANNOUNCE WINNERS OF 
36th ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL POSTER CONTEST 
 

NEW YORK, NY - May 8th, 2026 - The Christophers announce the three top prize winners, in addition to twelve honorable mentions, today in their 36th 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 nearly 400 entries from high schools all across the United States. As always, students employed a wide range of media in their submissions, from personalized photograph collages to one especially memorable picture that featured a student painting a stunningly detailed lion mural. As Sarah E. Holinski, The Christophers’ Youth Coordinator, observed, “Our winning poster entries this year continue to highlight some particularly 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 giving eye exams at free medical clinics in Vietnam or putting on a musical concert for veterans at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, D.C., these youngsters truly exemplify, through their vivid artistic renderings, just what it means to make a difference.”

 

            First prize went to Charlee Blankenship, a senior at Pickens High School. Charlee’s poster is comprised of a photograph of a beaming young girl seated in a large, orange swing, specifically designed to fit not only her, but her wheelchair as well. She is flanked on either side by a smiling man and woman equally elated by this youngster’s joyful reaction. The words “You Can…Make a Difference” are written in white print on the orange borders bracketing the top and bottom halves of the poster.

           

            “Seeing this YLA [Youth Leadership Academy] student take the first swing,” Blankenship wrote in an email to The Christophers, “– her very first opportunity to enjoy this simple pleasure – will forever be etched in my memory…I took this picture at the [third] dedication of this wheelchair-accessible swing at a local park in Pickens County, SC.  My former middle school [YLA] began raising money for wheelchair-accessible swings when I was a student there my 8th grade year. I was one of four House Presidents who began discussing fundraisers, when this need was brought to our attention by a former student, whose brother is in a wheelchair. There was not a single place in our entire county where he could enjoy the simple pleasure of swinging.”

 

            “Even though I left the school before the money was raised [for the first swing],” Charlee continued in her message, “I remained very active in the process, as the school partnered with the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and local police departments to plan and implement the first Catch-a-Cop 5K.”

 

            According to their website, the Catch-A-Cop 5K run is a 1-mile race that takes place at the Pickens County Airport, where participating children of all ages have the chance to “play the hero…nabbing flags from the boys in blue, and enjoying a victory ride in the police cruiser.”  After the success of the first wheelchair-accessible swing, Blankenship explained that this Catch-A-Cop 5K fundraiser run became an annual event in Pickens, at least for the past three years. According to Charlee, the picture featured in her poster was made possible by the money raised from last year’s 5K run.

 

            “The 2026 fundraiser will place a final [fourth] swing in the last remaining municipality in Pickens County,” Charlee noted in conclusion. “—Liberty, SC. The foundation of Youth Leadership Academy is ‘Leadership Through Service,’ and I am extremely proud and humbled to have been a part of their largest community service project yet.”

 

            Second-place winner, Hays High School senior Mary Elizabeth (Lizzy) Vajnar, also put her impressive photography skills on display in her poster featuring 15 pictures, all personally taken by her. Each photo showcases one or two of her fellow students actively engaging in either artistic, athletic or musical pursuits at Lizzy’s local high school in Hays, Kansas. Whether featuring a pupil refining their welding techniques or belting out a soulful ballad in the school’s recent performance of Frozen 2, every one of Vajnar’s pictures manages to capture each of these pupils flawlessly, whether they are at work or quite literally at play. Additionally, all 15 photographs are lined up in three horizonal rows against a dark red backdrop, along with this uplifting reminder typed across the middle in white print: “You Can Make a Difference…Every Field, Every Stage, Every Day.” Underneath these words, Vajnar includes the additional quote, “You were created with purpose.”

 

            “I selected the phrase ‘You were created with purpose’ from Ephesians 2:10,” Lizzy explained in the description of her prize-winning submission. “As a Catholic, I value the importance of recognizing and respecting diverse beliefs, perspectives, and backgrounds. My poster reflects the idea that every individual is created with purpose, and has something meaningful to contribute.”

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             “At a larger school, like Hays High,” Vajnar concluded, “it can sometimes be difficult for students to feel like they truly belong. With my poster, I intentionally chose to represent every field, every stage, and everyday moments, so that students can see that no matter where they are, their actions and passions can make a difference.”

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            Third prize winner, senior Sophia Chiou, who attends Naperville High School in Illinois, also uses photographs to demonstrate how she makes a difference, right in her own backyard, more specifically in “the Chicagoland area, particularly in under-resourced communities.” The six pictures Chiou includes in her poster are evenly distributed across the top and bottom of the white background, along with the words, “You Can Make a Difference-Share Your Passion,” written in black and blue at the center.  All of Sophia’s pictures show these younger pupils either happily posing in a group shot, or enthusiastically participating in projects relating to art or engineering, under the watchful supervision of their high school instructors.

 

            “The photos featured on my poster were taken by me at a summer camp that my organization, STEAM [Science, Technology, Art and Mathematics] Dream, hosted this past summer,” Chiou clarified for The Christophers via email. “STEAM Dream is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to engaging, hands-on STEAM education…We host various summer camps and in-school visits throughout the year, mainly for elementary school students.” 

 

            What an inspiring way to combine passion and creativity to assist those in need, not just for one day, but all throughout the year! Here at The Christophers, for 81 years, we have striven, through various forms of media, to answer our founder, Father James Keller’s, call to celebrate those who utilize their God-given gifts to change people’s lives for the better. Whether it’s raising awareness about important issues, like learning the lifesaving act of CPR, or even just honoring a grandmother who, at 100-years-old, still makes her own jewelry, this year’s poster contest honorees truly 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 a world that refuses to be overwhelmed by darkness.