Ani Harutyunyan and Layla Monjaras will each have their winning designs turned into custom jewelry by Elliott’s Jewelers
HUNTSVILLE, Texas — CASA of Walker, San Jacinto and Trinity Counties named two winners this year in its Sketches to Sparkles Jewelry Design Contest, recognizing Ani Harutyunyan and Layla Monjaras for designs that stood out among 275 student entries.
The contest, supported by Elliott’s Jewelers in Huntsville, gives young artists the opportunity to see their artwork turned into a custom piece of jewelry. This year, each winning design will be created into a piece valued at $3,000.
The two winning entries were selected after judges reviewed the artwork and the written meaning behind each design. CASA Development Director Laura Green said the contest grew significantly this year after CASA reached out directly to art teachers throughout the community.
Contest grows from 25 entries to 275
“This year we went to all of the art teachers in our community and asked them to get their children in their classes to actually participate in the contest,” Green said. “In the past, we’ve had about 25 students or children that have brought their artwork to us, and so we wanted to really get the word out.”
Green said that effort changed the reach of the contest.
“We decided to contact the art teachers, which was huge because we went from 25 entries to 275 entries, which was obviously very successful,” Green said.
CASA said the entries reflected creativity, imagination and personal meaning from students across the area. Green said many people do not realize the value and scope of the contest when they first hear about it.
“A lot of people just don’t realize the scope of what this is,” Green said. “They think jewelry contests, they think costume jewelry. This is actually a legitimate piece of jewelry that’s valued over $3,000. It’s gold and silver and diamonds, and it’s really something special that our children can treasure and then maybe even pass it on to their children down the road.”
Artwork with a story
The Sketches to Sparkles contest was added to CASA’s All About Kids Expo during the event’s first year after Elliott Herzlich, owner of Elliott’s Jewelers, approached CASA with the idea.
Green said Herzlich wanted to create a jewelry contest for children in the community, and CASA agreed.
“What he does is he takes the winning piece, the artwork, and he will work with that child and create a beautiful necklace or whatever they want it to be,” Green said during the announcement event. “It’s valued up to $3,000. This is not costume jewelry. This is the real thing.”
Green said the contest was originally connected to Mother’s Day, with the thought that a child might design something for a mother, grandmother, aunt, sister or other special female figure. Over time, she said, the contest has become something students may also keep for themselves as a personal keepsake.
“It’s just something that they can treasure for years to come and hopefully, you know, maybe even pass it on,” Green said.
Elliott’s Jewelers backs the mission
Green said Herzlich and his wife have been strong supporters of CASA and its mission.
“Elliott, he gives in so many ways, and this is just one very, very small portion of what Elliott has done for CASA,” Green said. “He and his wife both are big supporters of CASA. They believe in our mission and what we do.”
Green said Herzlich’s involvement reflects his care for children and the local community.
“Whatever we need, he is willing to jump up and step up,” Green said. “He loves children. He loves the community.”
Herzlich said the contest is special because it gives children a way to express what matters to them.
“The children and their creativity and seeing how their minds work and how they express themselves,” Herzlich said. “Everything about them, it comes through in their artwork and how deeply and warmly they feel.”
Herzlich said even young students can produce work that carries deep personal meaning.
“They have people in their lives that have influenced them, and they want to acknowledge them, and they acknowledge their history too,” Herzlich said.
Selecting two winners
Green said the written stories were a major part of the judging process. The committee reviewed the entries, narrowed them down several times, then worked with Herzlich to determine the final selection.
“It’s not just about the artwork,” Green said. “It’s about the story and the reason why. That is really truly what is important.”
Herzlich said the story behind a design is what gives jewelry lasting meaning.
“Jewelry is nothing more than gold and metal and diamonds, but the story that goes with it is what makes it special all through the generations,” Herzlich said. “The story that they tell and their future and what it means to them and why they wrote it, that’s what I’m looking for.”
With 275 entries, Herzlich said the children’s work showed heart.
“We saw their hearts, and boy, are they good,” Herzlich said. “They’re deep and they’re meaningful.”
This year, Herzlich and CASA selected two winners.
“We not only have one winner, but we have two,” Herzlich said during the announcement.
Green said the decision came after she and Herzlich went back and forth while reviewing the stories.
“We read the stories, and Elliott and I sat there, and we went back and forth,” Green said.
Ani Harutyunyan’s winning design
Harutyunyan’s design was inspired by her mother and the support she has given her family.
According to the story read during the announcement, Harutyunyan wrote that her mother helped her through hard times and has always been selfless to her and her family.
“Even with all the things I have done and will do, her love and support will never be replaced,” Green read from Harutyunyan’s entry.
The design features hands making a heart, with a diamond inside.
“The necklace is supposed to be silver,” Green read from the entry. “Me and my mom holding hands and making a heart. The heart is inside. Inside is a diamond.”
Harutyunyan said the heart in the design represented life.
“The heart inside is kind of our life inside,” Harutyunyan said. “Even if it’s not the best time, she’ll always make it the best time somehow, if it’s with words or decorations.”
She said the hands in the design represented someone holding on.
“She’s holding on to us, like the hands,” Harutyunyan said. “She’s holding on to our life and everything. That’s what it resembles.”
Harutyunyan said she was surprised when she learned she had won.
“That’s crazy,” Harutyunyan said. “I was actually shocked, like a lot. I was shaking just going up there to shake his hand.”
She thanked Herzlich for creating the piece.
“Thank you a lot,” Harutyunyan said. “Seeing it come alive from paper means a lot to me.”
Layla Monjaras’ winning design
Monjaras’ winning design was inspired by her grandmother.
During the announcement, Green read from Monjaras’ written entry, which described the relationship behind the piece.
“This is about my grandma,” Green read. “She was everything to me, but she died when I was younger. I miss her so much.”
The design included an emerald, a braided chain and the words “look to the stars.”
“I chose her favorite diamond, which is an emerald, and she loved braids and twisted things, so the braided chain is gold and silver,” Green read. “It has next to the diamond ‘look to the stars’ written in it because I know that’s where I’ll find her.”
Monjaras said the emeralds were chosen because of her grandmother.
“My grandma loved them, of course, but also her favorite color is green,” Monjaras said. “She just had green everything basically, and I just chose the stone because of that.”
She said the phrase “look to the stars” came from something her grandmother had told her.
“She was like, whenever you need to find me, I’ll be in the stars,” Monjaras said. “That’s where I get that from.”
Monjaras said she could hardly believe she had won.
“I was like, this can’t be real,” Monjaras said. “Out of all the contestants, me? I was like, thank you so much. It’s amazing.”
She also thanked Herzlich for the opportunity.
“Thank you so much for this opportunity,” Monjaras said. “This means a lot to me.”
Turning sketches into finished jewelry
Herzlich said each winning design presents its own challenge as he works to turn a student’s artwork into jewelry that can be worn and preserved.
“Each piece is a challenge because you have to express their essence of what they drew,” Herzlich said. “Sometimes what they drew is not mechanically making sense, so we have to interpret that so that it’s durable and wearable and comfortable.”
Herzlich said the process will take about three or four weeks. During the announcement, he said one piece will be made in sterling silver, and the other will be made in 14-karat gold with genuine stones.
“It’s the essence of what you drew,” Herzlich said. “It’s the essence of the story you told.”
CASA plans to hold a reveal after the jewelry pieces are completed.
CASA’s work in the community
Green said CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates and provides advocacy for children who are placed in foster care.
“We provide advocacy for children who are placed in foster care,” Green said.
She said CASA works with children, families, attorneys, caregivers and others involved in a child’s life from the time a child enters foster care until the child finds a safe, permanent placement.
“We are the voice that can advocate for those children,” Green said.
Green said CASA serves Walker, San Jacinto and Trinity counties and is currently serving about 70 children. She also said CASA has served more than 500 children in the last few years.
“We have served over 500 children in the last few years,” Green said.
Herzlich said he supports CASA and wants others to get involved.
“I love CASA,” Herzlich said. “I support them. I stand behind them, and what they’re doing is so meaningful, so everybody needs to get involved to help CASA.”
Plans for next year
Green said CASA and Elliott’s Jewelers are already discussing ways to grow the contest next year. She said one possible change is adding separate divisions for younger and older students.
“Next year we’re going to have a division for the younger kids and a division for the older kids because it is very hard to judge what a 5-year-old does versus what a 12-year-old does,” Green said. “There’s just no comparison, even with the stories.”
Green thanked the students, teachers, families and supporters who helped make the contest successful.
CASA said the goal is for the finished jewelry pieces to become treasured keepsakes for the winners and their families.