Clark Magnet High School teacher Nyrie Gharibian with contest winner Emily Arakelian at the opening reception for The Byrd Show, Brand Library Art Galleries.

Emily Arakelian, a sophomore at Clark Magnet High School was awarded first prize for her poster of the Verdugo Skate Park; John Barbar, a senior from Clark Magnet, took second prize for his poster of the Alex Theatre; Mariam Adamyan, also a Clark Magnet senior, was given third prize for her poster of the Glendale Marketplace.

All entries are on display at The Glendale Public Library, 222 East Harvard St., Glendale, California, 91205, through the end of August.

The contest was sponsored by the Brand Library and the Glendale Public Library Teen Services department in conjunction with the Brand Library Art Galleries exhibition The Byrd Show: 40 Years of Art & Design. High school students who live in or attend school in Glendale were challenged to create an original poster promoting or celebrating some aspect of Glendale. Nationally known graphic artist David Edward Byrd judged the entries and selected the winners. Prizes, including a Canon PowerShot ELPH digital camera, and Barnes & Noble gift cards were generously provided by the Friends of the Library and the Associates of Brand Library.

The contest was kicked off with a presentation by David Byrd to students at Hoover High School. David shared his designs and creative process and anecdotes from his career with a captivated audience that included teachers Jason Pinsker, Allison Stewart, and Mary Anna Pomis. Nyrie Gharibian, a teacher a Clark Magnet High School, and Emily Goff, a teacher at Daily High School encouraged their students to participate.

On June 11th, first prize winner Emily Arakelian attended the opening reception of The Byrd Show, where her poster is on display, and had the opportunity to meet David Byrd and talk with him about her own interest in a career in graphic design.

The Byrd Show: 40 Years of Art & Design is on view at Brand Library Art Galleries June 11 through July 22, 2011.