Rachel Hyche, a second grader at Oak Mountain Elementary School, won the grand prize in the 2011 Helen Keller Art Show.
The annual show is for Alabama students who are visually impaired, blind or deaf-blind. The show is open to students of all ages in public, private, residential and home schools, providing them an opportunity to showcase special talents and abilities.
Entries emphasize creativity, color and tactile media. During the year, the artwork is exhibited in venues including the state capital.
Rachel received the Patty Johnson Award. Winners of this award are selected by the Helen Keller Festival Board each year. The award is named for and dedicated to Helen Keller’s niece, who continued the legacy of recognizing the success of students who are blind or visually impaired.
Rachel’s piece, which will be displayed in Tuscumbia in a permanent gallery, is titled “CopperTree” and is a multisensory piece using watercolors, copper wire of various lengths and colors and copper sheeting cut-outs.
Rachel said she enjoyed working on her art piece very much.
“The leaves were hard to make,” she said. “My favorite thing about this art was painting. I like to paint.”
As the award winner, Rachel was invited to Tuscumbia to participate in the Helen Keller Festival. She will ride in the festival parade in a car designated for her in the grand marshal portion of the parade.
She will also be interviewed at the Helen Keller homestead, open the Helen Keller play and be presented on stage at the festival opening ceremonies.