More than 50 students regionwide entered the LOOK out for each other safety poster contest hosted by Sound Transit and Southeast Seattle Education Coalition (SESEC).
With the 2 Line extension to Downtown Redmond and our spring Safety Fair at Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic, the poster contest offered an opportunity for students to share how they look out for their community to help keep each other safe.
We are proud to present the winners of the contest! Winners received cash prizes for their fantastic posters, and 1st place winner posters are featured on 1 Line and 2 Line trains!
Read on to see our incredible participants’ vision for keeping our communities safe and read their artist statements.
Kindergarten through 5th Grade
Annabelle J. (2nd grade, 3rd place)
“I wanted to show people about keeping safe like staying behind the lines and watching for the big trains. I also wanted to make the LOOK eyes into faces to be cute and friendly. I want to help keep the children safe!”
Oliver B. (Kindergarten, 2nd place)
“Look both ways at the railroad crossing. To me safety means not getting hurt.”
In addition to his artist statement, Oliver added he is planning to use his prize money to buy a Lego city train he has been saving for and said he will also share some money with his little sister.
Veronica N. (5th grade, 1st place)
“My dad really loves seeing the light rail trains go by! I drew all five rules because they are all very important.”
6th grade through 8th grade
Rachael K. (6th grade, 3rd place)
“Listen to others when they're trying to help.”
Leah K. (8th grade, 2nd place)
“I believe that a strong way to look out for others is to help them learn what rules are set in place in a designated area. It helps them get used to the place and will ensure that they will not be endangered. These are shown on the poster as one person helps another person by guiding them and offering solutions. Anyone can look out for each other, and I wanted to portray that by making those who do help have a sign for a head that has the look symbol on it. Each person has separate clothing and colors to show different people. The arrows from the signs are meant to point out a key detail in the 5 rules so that both the viewer and the other person will look at its significance. It is very important that there is safety in transportation and there should be continued effort in informing others on how to be safe too. That's why this can be a crucial way to look out for your friends and family, by keeping them safe as well.”
Lucy T. (8th grade, 1st place)
“My work aims to raise awareness to the importance of public safety. The bright colors meant to capture the attention, the uniqueness of people meant to stray the eyes away from a screen for a moment.”
9th grade through 12th grade
Amishi A. (9th grade, 3rd place)
“My digital artwork seeks to remind people to be safe around trains and tracks by paying attention to their surroundings and to watch out for others in their community. At the top of the piece, the words "Headphones Down, Look Up" are written in cold black text. This is to encourages people to take off their headphones and be alert, especially near train tracks. The bottom half of the image shows a person with headphones around their neck looking to the right, showing that they are aware of what is going on around them. The border of the artwork is lined with caution tape to show danger and to catch the viewer’s attention. These elements were chosen to make a clear and direct message- whether it's a friend, family member, or neighbor, looking out for others can help prevent accidents and save lives.”
Hannah J. (12th grade, 2nd place)
“My poster uses a bright and playful style to show the importance of safety in and around transportation. The design shows a friendly community where everyone follows the rules and helps each other stay safe. I included animals to make the message more fun and easier for people of all ages to understand. With simple visuals and warm colors, the poster reminds people to stay alert, avoid distractions, and be careful when walking, biking, or near traffic.”
Kai K. (12th grade, 1st place)
“For my poster, I wanted to go for what would fit the younger people's eyes, and used cool colors for the background to match the color palette of the train and warm colors for the character that represented safety and for the ducks following the tall version of the character, which were supposed to represent children, or any people that would need to watch out when it comes to trains and train tracks. It's important to look around and listen to your surroundings for when it seems like there's a train or any other vehicle coming closer, as one small impact can create critical damage to the people involved. Always make sure there is nothing around you when crossing train tracks, and keep your ears open. Not just for yourself, but for other people as well. It's important that everyone knows about train safety and passes the message around.”
