The student-artists captured their love for the Carolinas through creative designs
Cheerwine, the South’s favorite cherry soda, and its hometown of Salisbury are thrilled to announce the 10 finalists in the eagerly anticipated Cheerwine Festival t-shirt design contest, showcasing the talent and creativity of high school students across the Carolinas.
To celebrate the spirit of the Carolinas, Cheerwine invited high school students from North and South Carolina to submit original artwork expressing their love for their home state.
A panel of judges, including Mayor Karen Alexander of Salisbury; Vivian Koontz, events coordinator for the City of Salisbury; Joy Ritchie Harper, vice president of marketing and fifth generation founding family member at Cheerwine; Andy Corbett, senior creative manager for Cheerwine; and Amanda Nesbitt, the 2023 t-shirt contest design winner, carefully selected the top 10 entries from a pool of submissions.
From now through March 25, the public is invited to cast their votes for their favorite design at: https://cheerwine.com/festival-contest/. The grand prize winner and two runners-up will be unveiled in April, with a special recognition ceremony to be held during this year’s Festival.
The finalists are:
- Elijah Gulledge (11th grade): West Rowan High School (Mount Ulla, N.C.)
- Bernice Huerte (10th grade): Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy (Raleigh, N.C.)
- Nicholas Smith (9th grade): West Rowan High School (Mount Ulla, N.C.)
- Annika Elmquist (9th grade): North Wake College & Career Academy (Wake Forest, N.C)
- Sophia Cabrera (9th grade): Central Cabarrus High School (Concord, N.C.)
- Isabella Dugarte-Carrasco (11th grade): Philip J. Weaver Academy (Greensboro, N.C.)
- Rachel Owens (12th grade): East Rowan High School (Salisbury, N.C.)
- Isabella Marlow (11th grade): Jesse C. Carson High School (China Grove, N.C.)
- Carter Coon (10th grade): Northeast Guilford High School (McLeansville, N.C.)
- Hope Hamilton (10th grade): East Rowan High School (Salisbury, N.C.)
"We were overwhelmed with the incredible response from students showing their Carolina pride," says Harper. "We thank the teachers, administrators and talented young artists who contributed their time and creativity to this contest, and we look forward to unveiling the finalists' designs and seeing which one is chosen to become the official artwork of this year’s Festival.”
The winner will receive a $1,000 gift card, a commemorative plaque presented by Mayor Alexander and additional prizes, while the winning student's teacher will be awarded $500 towards new art supplies.
This year’s Cheerwine Festival is scheduled for Saturday, May 18, from noon to 10 p.m.
The Festival promises a delightful experience for the whole family, featuring live entertainment, Cheerwine-inspired cuisine and beverages, arts and crafts, engaging activities for kids and much more.
For more information on the Festival, please visit: cheerwine.com/festival. Fans can also find details as they are announced by searching the hashtag #CheerwineFest on social media.
Cheerwine: Uniquely Southern
Created in 1917 by L.D. Peeler, Cheerwine is a one-of-a-kind soft drink with a unique cherry flavor. It is an iconic brand from Salisbury, North Carolina. Owned by the Carolina Beverage Corporation, the 107-year-old company is still privately owned and managed by the same founding family, five generations of whom have worked there. Cliff Ritchie leads Cheerwine as president and CEO. Available in supermarkets, restaurants, mass merchandisers and convenience stores in select states nationwide and cheerwine.com. For more information, follow Cheerwine on Facebook at facebook.com/cheerwine or on Twitter and Instagram @drinkcheerwine.