Fourth graders win top honors in Battle of Plattsburgh art contest

PLATTSBURGH | Clinton and Essex County fourth-grade students received awards for winning the Battle of Plattsburgh art contest. The 1814 Jane Claffey Art Award first-place winner is Scarlett Monette-Senecal from AuSable Elementary School. The challenge is open to grade 4 students at all schools in Essex and Clinton County, an annual part of the 1814 Commemoration Inc. Battle of Plattsburgh education outreach. Winning second place honors, Logan Hamilton is a student at Willsboro Central School. Third place prize went to Parker Janisewski from Morrisonville Elementary School. And Adam Weiss, a student at Seton Catholic School, earned the fourth-place prize. Each artist won money and a gift for their work. Scarlett's black-and-white illustration of the history-making Sept. 11, 1814, naval clash on Lake Champlain is being featured on 2025 Battle of Plattsburgh buttons and t-shirts. The young artist said the historic ships inspired her work. "I love the boats, so I tried to draw them and the cannon balls," she said. Scarlett started sketching for the contest in May and made an initial design that she then transferred in a second version for the finished work, drawing at home and at school. "I've been drawing since I was little," she said of her love of art. Though challenging, trying to illustrate an important moment in local history was especially fun. "I think the history is really important. I also think it's cool that the Battle of Plattsburgh happened here, right on the water." For Parker, his art was inspired by a historical illustration. "It was really fun to draw," he told the Sun of his design, which incorporates the smoky fog of battle and ships with elaborate rope rigging. Parker said the design and drawing took about a week, using up some of his snack and recess time at Morrisonville Elementary. He also brought the project home for evaluation. "He would come home and ask me a question: Can you tell why I colored this gray?" his mom Danielle said of family support. FOCUS ON RICH LOCAL HISTORY 1814 Commemoration Inc. President Tom Donahue presented the awards, highlighting important history the contest brings to life in area schools. The contest was established by the Battle of Plattsburgh Committee in 1998 by its namesake Jane Claffey and is carried forward by Linda Masterson Ward. Nearly 1,500 students receive the program's detailed history coloring book, complete with illustrations, games and historic narration created by local artist Ricky Laurin in 2014 for the BOP bicentennial. The 40-page book includes details of troop and militia movements, commanders, skirmish locations, combatant uniforms and equipment they used in and around Plattsburgh in 1814. The book presents unique aspects of local history for young children in a fun format to include mazes, word find and crossword puzzles and pages to color. Troop and marching maneuvers highlight many sites from Champlain and Chazy to Plattsburgh. Art contest invitations and guidelines were distributed along with the children's 1814 Coloring Book to 31 schools throughout Essex and Clinton by Masterson Ward in March this year, with contest entries due at the end of May. The Art Instruction rubric is coordinated by Shannon Piché-Smith, Beekmantown Central School art teacher and chairperson of the New York State Art Teachers Association for Region 5. Piché-Smith gathers all of entries submitted by Grade 4 teachers, usually about 200 illustrations, and prepares digital entries, redacting names and school affiliation. The artwork is submitted to a panel of art teachers and volunteers for adjudication. Judging criteria look to historical accuracy, artistry and creativity. Donahue and Masterson Ward said the project is an important 1814 Commemoration collaboration with school art programs, allowing an opportunity to introduce local history to hundreds of children who live here. Though New York State History is in the Grade 4 curriculum, the state removed local history instruction from its teaching standards years ago. Their program helps puts local context in state history. Contest organizers said the small schools turn out to participate in large measure, including the small school in Clintonville, which has 15 students. The 1814 Commemoration also presents a Living History day for exploration at the Clinton County Fairgrounds using the one-room schoolhouse and antique barn full of tools to help them better understand everyday life in the early 1800s. City of Plattsburgh Mayor Wendell Hughes said judging the contest was a challenging task because the entries were all so well done. BUSY SLATE OF EVENTS SEPT. 11-14 Awards for official Battle of Plattsburgh artwork helps kick off the last few months of activity before events begin in September. This year, Battle of Plattsburgh celebrations run from Thursday, Sept. 11 through Sunday, Sept. 14. In keeping with tradition, Mayor Hughes purchased the first BOP button that features Scarlett's artwork. Donahue said the Battle of Plattsburgh events 2025 will add evening History Talks at Trinity Church along with daytime history presentations there. Museums and self-guided tours are set for historic sites across the county. A few changes in location are planned due to ongoing restoration of City Hall steps. The children's muster and parade, and kids' games will be moved to the Kent Delord House lawn. The children's Village Fair will be held at Macdonough Monument Park, and the Monument Climb will be open on Saturday and Sunday. The parade at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13 celebrates the theme: 25 Years of the Battle of Plattsburgh. Donahue said Norwich University Marching Band and Drill Teams will be here and the U.S Army Band from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum will perform at Trinity Park and in front of City Hall. The North Country Classic Car Show and annual Fire Truck Pull are on for Sunday. Food courts, the tavern tent, exhibits and much more are on the 2025 schedule. While this region's history is widely know, preserving it isn't free, Donahue said of 1814 Commemoration's work to bring the many local stories to life each year in Battle of Plattsburgh events. The organization has a new website with a complete schedule and many ways people can help volunteer to support various programs: www.battleofplattsburgh.com

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Fourth graders win top honors in Battle of Plattsburgh art contest

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