There were 358 submissions (art and essays) from 21 schools entered in the blind competition. Art judges were Dr. Debra Murphy, Chair, UNF Department of Art & Design and Debra Broder, Director, MOCA.

At the awards ceremony, held January 7 at the Nathan Wilson Center for the Arts, Liz was presented with a laptop computer, and her teacher, Tami Culbert, received one as well. Kelsey was awarded $200. The winners and their families were also invited to a dinner to be held in February.

The Amity Turkish Cultural Center was established in 2006 to promote a better understanding and closer relations between individuals and communities in Jacksonville. The theme of this first annual contest, "Alliance of Civilizations" is the United Nations' concept of interaction and coordination among nations and cultures globally.