Equity Illustrated Youth Contest Winner: Everyone Has A Voice

The winning illustration in the 2016 Equity Illustrated Youth Design Contest sponsored by Meyer Memorial Trust and Northwest Health Foundation.

Youth Contest winner Carol Bryan

[Image description: On the left, three people stand in a row, using various tools to amplify their voices. The smallest person speaks into a microphone. The middle-sized person speaks into a megaphone. The largest person cups his hands around his mouth. On the right, yellow ovals of graduated size represent sound waves. Text reads: "Everyone has a voice. Equity pumps up the volume."]

"Everyone has a voice, no matter who they are or what challenges they have," wrote Carol Bryan, 14, of Corvallis, Oregon, when she submitted her winning entry for the 2016 Equity Illustrated Youth Design Contest.

Carol's illustration acknowledges that everyone starts from a different place. Although everyone has a voice, some voices might be softer or louder than others. Some voices might struggle to be heard. Equity is when each person has the tool they need to amplify their voice.

Carol learned about the contest in her digital imaging class at school. Her teacher gave a presentation explaining the idea of equity and assigned the class to illustrate what equity meant to them. Actually entering the contest was optional.

Outside of school, Carol shows her dog and rabbit in 4H competitions and plays softball. She hopes to go to college at Oregon State University or Western Oregon University and study to go into the medical field.