The Young Artists and Authors Showcase (YAAS) is an annual contest that encourages youth worldwide to express the mission of Sister Cities International through original artwork, literature, photography, and music. The County of Hawaiʻi is a member of Sister Cities International and aims to promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation – one individual, one community at a time.

Submissions are centered around an annual theme and judged based on creativity, composition, and theme
interpretation. This year’s theme is Generation Rescue: Sustainable Water for All. Climate change has become
an undeniably harsh reality in our lives, making the importance of raising awareness and taking action more
essential every day. As temperatures rise, water patterns are disrupted, ecosystems are disturbed, cultures are
affected, and energy resources are proven to be unsustainable for long-term use. These ongoing changes impact
our local and global communities in every aspect, and youth are the key to tackling this global reality.

“Participating in this contest will be a great opportunity for our young artists to showcase their skills while
simultaneously promoting the conservation of our precious water resources,” said Mayor Mitch Roth. “We have
a lot of really great talent here on our island, and we are excited to share that talent with the world.”

Selected grand prize winners in each category will win a $1,000 prize, second place winners will win $250, and
third place winners will be awarded $100. In addition, winners’ artwork will be displayed on the Sister Cities
Website after the winners are announced during the Youth Leadership Summit.

There is NO fee to submit an entry to YAAS at the national office. Students must be 13-18 years old to
participate. Students interested in participating should call Jane Clement, Sister Cities Protocol Officer for the
County of Hawaiʻi, at 323-4441.

More information is available at www.sistercities.org