Cecelia Legg (Courtesy of Kim Legg)
Fife High School sophomore Cecelia Legg received an impressive honor last week when she won honorable mention in the 2012 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards contest sponsored by The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers in New York.
This was her first entry into a contest of this nature. According to the contest sponsors, "Honorable Mention distinction shows tremendous creative promise and places students in the top 20 percent of their region."
"It was pretty cool that my work was picked," Cecelia said of her handmade shell, wire and beaded necklace the judges chose as a winner. She started making jewelry when she was 12 years old. Her mom, Kim Legg, says her daughter was born with a "creative gene" that has inspired Cecelia to make all kinds of arts and crafts.
"She is amazing," Kim said. "My house is filled with flowers made from butcher paper. She can take anything and make anything out of it."
Cecelia is humble about her artistic talents. "It's just something I do, but people do seem to like it."
Not only did she place in the contest with her creations, she founded a business, Made by Cici, and sells her original designs at two Federal Way locations: MJ's Hair Design (33625 9th Ave. S.) and The Giving Tree Boutique at Three Trees Yoga Studio and Healing Arts Center (204 S. 348th St.).
The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers is a nonprofit organization that identifies teenagers with exceptional artistic and literary talent and brings their work to a national audience through The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The awards date back to 1923 and a noteworthy roster of past winners includes Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Robert Redford and Joyce Carol Oates. Each year the Alliance partners with more than 100 regional affiliates across the country to bring the program to local communities. Teens in grades seven through 12 can apply in 28 categories of art and writing for the chance to earn scholarships and have their works exhibited or published.
Cecelia also gets high marks in her academic achievements. She spends a lot of time on her schoolwork and her grades reflect that. At Fife High, this sophomore is in honors biology, pre-advanced placement English and pre-calculus with senior students. Her favorite class is math. "My math class is really fun. I have a really cool math teacher – Mr. (Mark) Jones."
She is interested in perhaps studying law at an Ivy League university like Tulane or Columbia, but she's exploring all options. She's visiting Notre Dame University for a summer law program in 2013.
Music is another one of her passions, with flute and alto sax being her instruments of choice. She's played in school bands since sixth grade and is in the Fife High School Jazz Band. She leaves with her bandmates this week for a concert trip to Canada, and this summer she's off to Europe for an eight-country tour with Washington Ambassadors of Music, of which she is a member.
Mom Kim is very proud of everything her talented daughter has accomplished so far in her young life.
"She's just a good kid. She's a very hard worker and a nice, kind person with a good heart."
