![](\"https:\/\/sistercities.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Sister-Cities-of-Long-Beach-Working-Together-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhen the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close last year, it created a period of uncertainty for students who were suddenly quarantining at home. For some students, that sparked inspiration, and motivated them to explore their talents in new ways.<\/p>\n
Claire Beeli was just a freshman at Wilson High School, but she used the time at home in a productive and creative way.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter quarantine started, I began to write a lot. Way more than I ever have in my whole life,\u201d Beeli recalled. \u201cI didn’t have much else to do, and I just thought, you know, I might as well get really good at something while I can.\u201d<\/p>\n
It didn\u2019t take long for that dedication to pay off.<\/p>\n
Beeli is one of a handful of local high school students from Wilson and Poly who were recognized for their outstanding submissions to the 2021 Young Artists and Scholars Showcase (YAAS), hosted by the Sister Cities of Long Beach.<\/p>\n
The competition gathered submissions in various categories from LBUSD students, along with students from Long Beach\u2019s Sister Cities of Sochi, Russia and Yokkaichi, Japan. The theme for this year\u2019s competition was \u201cUnited in Hope,\u201d and the more than 280 submissions received set a new record for the showcase.<\/p>\n
Students from Long Beach earned first place in three separate categories, receiving a $200 cash prize as well as consideration in the international competition with submissions from across the globe.<\/p>\n
Wilson junior Annalise Mirsec was awarded first place in the Visual Art category for her piece \u201cUnited in Hope.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to illustrate something that would convey the things that matter most to me,\u201d Mirsec explained. \u201cI wanted to include world issues like pollution, gender inequality, poverty, and I wanted to really point them out so that we can prioritize those issues and make a change to better the world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Mirsec says her mom, Miranda, is the one who encouraged her to submit her artwork for the competition, and that\u2019s also where she gets her creativity. Miranda is a photographer, and her work helped inspire Annalise\u2019s artistic nature from early on in her childhood.<\/span><\/p>\n “She always told me that when I was little, I actually picked up a paintbrush before I picked up a pencil,\u201d Annalise recalled. \u201cSo I think I\u2019ve just always been interested in doing art.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Poly\u2019s Sofia Farfan also claimed second place in the category.<\/p>\n In music, Poly junior Visud Chang won first place for his submission, \u201cSet in Motion.”<\/span><\/p>\n