Matthew Henson Art Contest
See also: 1) Drawings inspired by Glory & Honor, and 2) Conwell Middle School

Shannon Eagle is a 6th grade teacher at Adamson Middle School in Rex, Georgia. Every year in her Language Arts' class the students read a story called, "Matthew Henson at the Top of the World," by Jim Haskins. The students explore the many realms of Matthew Henson's life. From his time on the Katie Hines, to his team up with Admiral Peary, the students learned about his courage and honor. Each year a contest is held to see who can draw the most accurate representation of Matthew at the different stages of his life.

This year's winners are extraordinary. Gabriel Crews did a wonderful portrait of Matthew as he would have been dressed during one of the polar expeditions. Danielle Duenas chose to portray a different aspect. She drew an endearing picture of Matthew with his mother. The second runner up was Zachary Moore. His picture was a unique look at the sled trip to the North Pole. All of these students worked hard to try to present Matthew Henson as they saw and admired him. The students were very enthusiastic about participating in the Internet Art Contest and were thrilled to learn that their work had been chosen. This contest is a tradition that Mrs. Eagle hopes to continue to help her students bring the stories they read to life.

Shannon Eagle, November, 1999