Fifth-grader’s artwork adorns bus

By Jean Reid Norman

Wednesday, April 1, 2009 | 1:15 p.m.

In Pamela Torres’ house, her father’s paintings and other artwork cover the walls and inspire the Ruby Thomas Elementary fifth-grader.

Pamela’s artwork took center stage at a Tuesday ceremony and now will be seen far beyond their home.

A poster she made won a countywide anti-graffiti art contest sponsored by the Regional Transportation Commission, Metro Police’s D.A.R.E. program and the Southern Nevada Graffiti Coalition.

The design was wrapped around an RTC bus and will travel Las Vegas Valley roads for a year to promote an anti-graffiti message. The winning design was unveiled on Tuesday during a ceremony at the RTC headquarters, 600 S. Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas.

“I was really surprised and really happy that I won,” Pamela said, noting 150 fifth graders entered the contest. “I thought it was really impossible.”

Pamela drew the word “graffiti” to look like tagging on a wall-like background with a red “don’t” symbol around it. The idea, she said, was to make it look like real graffiti on a wall.

In addition to having her work displayed on a bus for the next year, Pamela won a $150 gift certificate for art supplies and her school received a $300 check.

Other finalists were:

• Alyssa Mireles of Iverson Elementary School, first runner-up.

• Daisy Lopez, Sahara Hussein and Fabiala Vejar of Arturo Cambeiro Elementary School, second runners-up.

• Jade Joyce of Thomas O’Roarker Elementary School, third runner-up.

• DeShawn Timberlake of Sister R.J. Bailey Elementary School, fourth runner-up.

The top 10 pieces of artwork will be displayed on placards inside buses throughout the year.

The artwork sends a message that officials who spoke at the ceremony hope is heeded.

County Commissioner Susan Brager said the county spends $30 million a year to clean up graffiti — money that Commissioner Steve Sisolak said could be spent on other things, like more art supplies for schools.

In addition, Veolia Transportation, which operates the RTC buses and was a co-sponsor of the contest, has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in the past year to clean graffiti off buses, said Tim Collins, the company’s regional vice president.

Richard Sanchez, Pamela’s father, said all three of his children are artistically inclined and have picked up their interest in art from him. The motel manager said it is a hobby for him, but he has produced enough work to fill their house.

Pamela said the house will have room for one other piece of work — the original design for the bus wrap. It will go in her bedroom, she said.