Reston, VA - The Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation (GAERF) announces the winners of the GAERF 2017 Student Design Competition. The annual contest, now in its ninth year and themed for 2017 “MAGnify!”, challenged students from secondary and post-secondary institutions to combine their critical thinking and creativity with cutting-edge technology to design and produce a printed magazine ad, featuring a product of their choice and linked to digital media, to demonstrate the essential role that print plays in today's multichannel media mix. Qualifying ad designs incorporated a reference (URL or other) to the digital promotion of their product.

An independent panel of industry expert judges chose six winners from among the 177 entries—three at the secondary school level and three at the post-secondary school level.

Winners at the secondary school level were:

• 1st Place: Olivia English, Crawford County Career and Technical Center, Meadville, PA
  (Instructor: Dennis O’Laughlin)
• 2nd Place: Sara Champagne, Tri Star Career Compact, Celina, OH
  (Instructor: Ryan Turnmire)
• 3rd Place: Tyler Sullivan, Careerline Tech Center, Holland, MI
  (Instructor: Sally Salkowski)

Winners at the post-secondary school level were:

• 1st Place: Arnold Agustin, Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, CA
  (Instructor: Steve Gonsowski)
• 2nd Place: Sejal Banker, Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, CA
  (Instructor: Steve Gonsowski)
• 3rd Place: Allison Liaw, Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, CA
  (Instructor: Steve Gonsowski)

First place winners and their instructors will receive two-day all-inclusive paid trips to attend PRINT 17 in Chicago, IL. In addition, first place winners will be presented with $2,000 checks during PRINT 17’s Career Awareness Day on Thursday, September 14, 2017. The second place winners will each be awarded $1,500, and the third place winners will each receive $1,000.

“GAERF is proud to continue its longstanding commitment to supporting education initiatives by encouraging creativity and self-expression in students through the art of design and production,” said NPES President Thayer Long. “Plans for next year’s Student Design Competition are already underway, when GAERF will again recognize our best and brightest students, as well as the significant commitment of their instructors,” he continued.

The winning entries will be featured in a special display at booth 3968 within PRINT 17’s debuting Workforce Solutions show floor section; at the entrance of the Career Awareness Day assembly in posters printed courtesy of THE ALC GROUP, Kansas City, MO, Byron Pendleton, President; and, showcased on the GAERF website: www.gaerf.org. A slideshow of all student entries will run at booth 3968 and, also be available on the GAERF website.

For more information about the GAERF Student Design Competition, contact GAERF Director Margie Garr at phone: 703/264-7200 or email: [email protected].