Windy City Snowmen, Keith Country Day School take home top honors in Illinois Snow Sculpting contest
By Mary Sisk
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Keith Country Day School won the high school division and the Windy City Snowmen took home the state title Saturday at the 37th annual Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition.
The Windy City Snowmen bested 11 other teams with their sculpture “Don’t Take the Bait.” The piece depicts an open-mouth bass leaping toward a fishing hook, but team member Mike Dillon said it’s also a piece of political commentary.
“Don’t take the bait, you know, is more obviously about the state of our world,” Dillon said. “I had just been on a fishing trip this fall and caught a lot of those fish, and the two came together.”
Previously: Rockford snow sculptors face challenging conditions for annual competition
First prize earns the Windy City Snowmen the right to represent Illinois next year in the U.S. National Snow Sculpting Championship.
Dillon, along with teammates Kim McCombs and Juan Zelaya, enjoyed the feeling of community that the competition provided.
“We’ve been coming here for a few years and we know everybody,” McCombs said. “The people next to us were new and we made friends with them.”
Last year: Trio of teachers wins Illinois snow sculpting competition in Rockford
The team also won the People’s Choice Award, and they mentored the winning high school team, Keith Country Day School.
Keith School’s team, consisting of Lacie Delaney, Hadley Slawson, Nan Gbakonyak and Tia Boardman, sculpted a piece titled “B-Nice.” It depicted bees resting on letter blocks that spell “Nice.”
There were 13 teams in the high school division this year.
The high school students have all been snow sculpting for two years and enjoyed the challenge of this year’s submission.
“There were some parts that were really hard,” Slawson said. “We have wings made out of ice on our bees and those were a real challenge.”
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Gbakonyak said the best part of the competition was finally seeing the finished sculpture.
“My favorite part is seeing it done at the end,” Gbakonyak said. “The second-best part was probably getting that first block on top.”
State awards
Committee’s Choice/Patricia “Pat” Hayes Parks Award: Snow Dazed, “Pulling Together”
People’s Choice Award: Windy City Snowmen, “Don’t Take the Bait”
3rd Place: Two Blondes and a Brunette, “Morsmordre”
2nd Place: The Band of Misfit Boys, “Web Design”
1st Place: Windy City Snowmen, “Don’t Take the Bait”
High school awards
Linda K. White Spirit Award: Jefferson High School ,“Wings of Freedom”
Fred Gardner Award: Keith Country Day School, “B-Nice”
Artist’s Choice Award: Keith Country Day School, “B-Nice”
People’s Choice Award: Rockford Christian High School, “Bowler Bear”
3rd Place: Byron High School, “Gnome’s Best Friend”
2nd Place: Rockford Christian High School ,“Bowler Bear”
1st Place: Keith Country Day School, “B-Nice”
This article is by Mary Sisk. Email her at msisk@rockrivercurrent.com or follow her on Instagram at @maryrrcurrent
