Two eighth-graders from William James Middle School in Bulloch County, Aaliyah Lonon and Julia Basquin, drew on personal experience and observations to create artwork that won statewide awards in Georgia’s Manufacturing Appreciation Week student design contest.

Both students attended the awards luncheon Thursday with Gov. Brian Kemp in the Georgia International Convention Center, at College Park in metro Atlanta.

Aaliyah Lonon, whose parents are Melissa Price-Lonon and Leon Lonon Jr., captured second place and received a $300 scholarship check presented by Anne Kaiser, vice president of community and economic development at Georgia Power.

“A lot of inspiring things went into [my design],” Lonon said. “My family does a lot of crop growing and I have other family that works at the Georgia Ports Authority and drives trucks. I just thought I would incorporate all of it.”

Her design includes depictions of agriculture and the ports and the logos of manufacturers from throughout the state of Georgia.

Julia Basquin, whose parents are Stacey and David Basquin, won third place and received a $100 scholarship check, also presented by Kaiser.

“There are so many industries in and around Statesboro,” Basquin said. “They provide so many jobs, and we need to praise them for what they do. I wanted to do that through my art and show how they contribute to our state and my community.”

Students from around the state submitted design entries featuring Georgia manufacturers and their products. In addition to WJMS, Lonon and Basquin represented Ogeechee Technical College, which sponsors Manufacturing  Appreciation Week activities in its service area.

OTC President Lori Durden said both students represented their middle school and the college well and congratulated them on their talent and for “a job well done.”

The winning student’s comments were also provided by Ogeechee Tech in a news release.

“The design contest exposes students to the rich diversity of career opportunities available in manufacturing, and it fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation for how critical manufacturing is to the prosperity of their own local communities,” Georgia business journalist and commentator Richard Warner, emcee of the awards luncheon, had said. “Now more than ever, we need to make young people aware that manufacturing is an area where they can express their creativity, and where their skills are rewarded.”