Lawton student
a star-spangled winner

By Jeannie O’Sullivan
Times Staff Writer

For Jared Witzell, the undefeated champion of the Henry W. Lawton Elementary School’s annual art contest, another art award might have been no big deal.
But this time, the stakes were bigger for the fourth-grader.
Witzell, the grand-prize winner of the American Heritage Federal Credit Union’s third annual art contest, had competed with more than 70 students from Philadelphia-area elementary schools. He accepted a $500 U.S. Savings Bond and certificate at an awards ceremony on May 12 at the Lawton School, 6101 Jackson St., in Wissinoming.
The contest theme, What My American Heritage Means to Me, had inspired a slew of patriotic paintings and drawings created by students in kindergarten through fifth grades. Witzell’s painting of the Statue of Liberty will be displayed at the American Heritage headquarters at 2068 Red Lion Road.
"It took an extremely long time, but I wanted it to be different," said Witzell, whose future projects include drawing a horse for his sister Taralyn, 13.
His efforts have always gotten the attention of teachers and family. Witzell’s recent projects — a Japanese tapestry and a self-portrait — stand apart from the rest, and no medium has stumped him yet, said art teacher Linda Thompson.
"Anything you give him, he’ll do," said Thompson, who spotted Witzell’s talents when he was a kindergartner.
Like many artists, Witzell hones a well-rounded sphere of talents that includes a slick bargaining sense.
"One teacher asked me if I was going to split the prize with him," said Witzell, "and I said, ‘OK, I get $499, and you get one penny.’"
Apparently, American Heritage would approve of Witzell’s fiscal know-how.
"We believe school kids should learn about managing money," said Mick Hilling, American Heritage marketing director.
Since its 1948 beginnings, the credit union has supported financial literacy and children’s charities through fund-raisers and awards programs, said Hilling. The art contest ran concurrently with an essay contest for sixth-through-12th-grade students in Pennsylvania.
Last year, the credit union’s Kids-n-Hope Foundation raised more than $50,000 for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Recently, the credit union launched its first scholarship program, awarding $1,000 scholarships to three students from Pennsylvania high schools and one Drexel University student.
The Credit Union National Association has recognized American Heritage’s efforts, both nationally and locally. An 11-time Pennsylvania winner of the national association’s Dora Maxwell Award for Community Involvement, American Heritage last year won the award on a national level. Other 2004 honors came from CHOP’s Friends of Children’s Seashore House, which named American Heritage CEO Bruce Foulke as its man of the year. ••
Reporter Jeannie O’Sullivan can be reached at 215-353-3038 or osullivanj@phillynews.com