The sixth grader and seven of her classmates were recognized April 30 at the fifth annual Harlem Renaissance Festival Gala for participating in the "Gorgeous Prince George's Photography Contest" with their student government association at Dodge Park Elementary School in Landover.

About 250 people attended the gala and first presentation of the Harlem Remembrance Foundation's L.O.V.E. awards that recognize individuals who have shown leadership, outreach, vision and excellence (as the acronym implies) through the arts throughout the community. The event was organized by the marketing and public relations firm, The CAMMAY Group, and held for the first time at Northwestern's Jim Henson School of Arts, Media and Communications building.

"The Harlem Renaissance is so significant in African American history in this country," said Obie Pinckney of Landover. Pinckney is the county's municipal liaison. "The music and entertainment of the culture at that time were really vibrant even in the midst of segregation and problems. These events are necessary [so as] not to lose these things. I think [young people] learn how to connect."

The Harlem Renaissance thrived in the 1920s as a blooming period in the development of new African American art, expression and thought. It included writers, poets, artists, actors, dancers, philosophers, photographers and musicians such as Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Zora Neale Hurston, Marcus Garvey, Alain Locke, Dorothy West, Aaron Douglas, Angelina Welde Grimke, Paul Robeson, Josephine Baker, Arthur Schomburg and Duke Ellington.

"[The event] presents the Harlem Renaissance like a time capsule where it allows us to revisit our past," said County Council Chairman Tony Knotts (D-Dist. 8) of Temple Hills. "People can continue to celebrate the voices and sounds that have touched our generations yesterday, today and it will also touch our generations tomorrow."

The Harlem Remembrance Foundation board members and elected officials selected the Arts and Cultural Heritage Division of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission for the Leadership in the Arts award. The division was nominated by Councilman David Harrington (D-Dist. 5) of Bladensburg, for its visual and performing arts program.

The Outreach in the Arts award for offering affordable and accessible opportunities to youth went to Anne Gentry, who was nominated by the Ivy Communities of Prince George's County. Gentry launched a symphony kids program in 1997 to offer music lessons to talented but underprivileged kids.

The recipient of the Visionary in the Arts award for Innovation was Jason Cook for founding and directing the song and dance group "Colours" at various schools across the county.

Slam Poet Patrick Washington, also known as "The Black Picasso," was named the Excellence in the Arts winner.

Michael Barnes, a tenth grader at Bowie High School, won the photo contest at the high school division for his photographs of the Six Flags America theme park in Mitchellville, his 3-year-old sister, Zakiyyah, and FedEx Field in Landover.

Jordan Matthews, of Progressive Christian Academy in Temple Hills, was the sixth-grade winner for her photos.

All these photographs will be on display at the "Renaissance Love--Love of Self: Love of Art" Harlem Renaissance Festival on May 8 at the Kentland Park Community Center in Landover. It will be held from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Jerry Dease, a junior at Crossland High School in Suitland, won the poster design contest for his drawings of key artistic and literary figures of the Harlem Renaissance.

"We were just delighted to recognize people who are doing fabulous work with the arts," said Festival Chairman Councilman David Harrington. Councilwoman Camille Exum (D-Dist. 7) of Seat Pleasant also attended.

The Washington Reflections Dance Company performed three numbers reminiscent of the Harlem renaissance period.

"It's a way to celebrate all that we have--beauty, talent, relationships, neighbors," said Dorothy Bailey, chair of the Harlem Remembrance Foundation and former county councilwoman who launched the festival in 2000. "I'm fascinated by the Harlem Renaissance. It sort of reminds me of the transition Prince George's County has been in for the last 10 years."