Several Rogers County students received high honors in the statewide Law Day creative free for all contest sponsored by the Oklahoma Bar Association.

Bailey Winters, a senior at Claremore High School, won the $250 grand prize award after her contest entry was judged the best overall out of more than 1,600 entries statewide.

Winters chose to incorporate her interests in fashion and modeling into her Law Day “creative free for all” entry. She sketched out each design and translated them into actual garments by cutting and painting stylized t-shirts. The shirts were created with the Law Day theme at the forefront.

“Fashion always makes a statement – each of the original designs takes this one step further, encouraging other students to go and vote, and to vote in style,” Winters said.

Three other Claremore High School students were also honored for their entries in the creative free for all category.

Tenth grader Kelsey Taylor Hall won the first place $100 prize for her collage in the creative free for all contest. Reagan Gill won the second place $50 prize for her collage in the same contest.

Bryan Lindsley won the first place $100 prize in the 11th grade contest for his poem, “Elections.”

Five other Claremore High School students received honorable mentions. They are 10th graders Morgan Burkhardt, Richard Starr and Adam Richardson. The 11th graders are Keeli Garroutte and Brittney Wilson.

Each year, the OBA offers school children the opportunity to creatively express their understanding of the role the law plays in their lives. Other contests offered were coloring, drawing, collage, diorama, and creative writing. Students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12th grade entered this year’s Law Day contests. Entries were based on the theme “Elections: Democracy in Action.”

“Law Day is an opportunity to educate the public about the importance of our government and how it plays in our lives,” said OBA President Bill Conger of Oklahoma City. “We believe everyone should be aware of their rights and responsibilities as citizens.”

Law Day, an annual nationwide event designated by the U.S. Congress in 1958, is celebrated with events on or around May 1 to raise public awareness of American law and its valuable impact on the lives of U.S. citizens. The idea for Law Day was conceived by the late Hicks Epton, a Wewoka attorney and Oklahoma Bar Association past president.

Each year, the OBA celebrates Law Day by offering the contests for children, providing a statewide hotline for free legal advice and producing an award-winning informational TV show, which airs on public television. More information about Law Day can be found at www.okbar.org.