Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Saturday Morning News
Student Contest Depicts Holiday Spirit in New York
Aired December 22, 2001 - 09:54 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Maneuvering a slope like that is nothing compared to a task assigned to New York public school students.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: That's right. Now, here's what these students had to do. They had to enter an art contest depicting the holiday spirit in New York right now, and they weren't allowed to use any kind of computer graphics or anything.
PHILLIPS: Now, that's not an easy task. Now, as these two young artists can certainly attest, they join us from our New York studio this morning with the sponsor of the contest, Alan Silverstone. And we've got Cynthia Hechme and Vicki Chan.
Hello to all of you. Great to see you.
HARRIS: Welcome, guys.
ALAN SILVERSTONE, INCREDIBLE HOLIDAY: Nice to see you.
PHILLIPS: Well, Alan, let's get -- let's talk about first your business. Let's give a little background for folks that maybe didn't see your interview a few weeks ago. We're going to show the ornaments. Tell us about your project here and where the money went for these special ornaments.
SILVERSTONE: OK. First of all, after September 11, our business declined dramatically, but we're pleased to announce that in December, thanks to Mayor Giuliani's request for people to come to New York and shop, our business is now equal to or greater than last year.
HARRIS: No kidding.
SILVERSTONE: And -- no, right, it's terrific. In fact, we're going to thank all of the people who are visiting New York this holiday season by today starting a sale in our store in Rockefeller Center, where we're going to give gifts to people who shop today, and significant discounts on collectible ornaments.
PHILLIPS: And we're looking at some of those ornaments right now, Alan, we're -- just got some of the bulbs. Maybe we can take a wide shot of all of them. There's the New York Apple and the flag, and...
HARRIS: Well, why don't we get the camera to pan down on each one of them so they can get a glimpse of what...
PHILLIPS: Kind of go across the hall? Yes, and tell us about these different bulbs. I know that Cynthia and Vicki made two of these also.
HARRIS: Now which one -- let's start with you, Vicki. Which one was yours?
SILVERSTONE: They didn't actually make those.
HARRIS: Oh, you didn't make these, oh, I'm sorry.
SILVERSTONE: No, they -- they had -- right.
HARRIS: Ah.
PHILLIPS: All right, well, let's go ahead...
SILVERSTONE: Let me explain...
PHILLIPS: ... and talk about the ornaments then.
HARRIS: OK.
SILVERSTONE: Yes, the...
HARRIS: These are pictures of the ones you made, correct?
PHILLIPS: Yes.
SILVERSTONE: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
SILVERSTONE: Those were designed in our contest, and we will be making those next year for raising money for their school systems...
HARRIS: OK.
SILVERSTONE: ... and their art classes.
HARRIS: All right, now, let's go back to the shot of that bear one, and that -- Vicki, that bear one was yours, correct?
VICKI CHAN: Yes.
HARRIS: All right, tell us how you got the idea.
CHAN: Actually, the idea just come up my mind, but I think -- I saw somebody draw about the tragedy, but I think it's better to draw something about happy. It's better to -- looking forward to the future.
HARRIS: And a snowman with a Yankees cap is definitely the future for New York, huh?
CHAN: Yes.
PHILLIPS: He has both of his favorite things in there.
OK, Cynthia, let's talk about yours. You made the one with the apple. Let's talk about how you came up with this idea, and why did you enter the contest?
CYNTHIA HECHME: Well, because of the September 11 tragedy, every -- the New York was all -- New York was hurt and everything, and everybody around there was hurt. And so I just came up with a Band- Aid heals everybody, and so I thought about a Band-Aid, putting it on the apple, which is New York, in my -- here in New York.
HARRIS: That's pretty cool.
HECHME: And the dove represents peace, and the fire extinguisher represents all the firemen, all the heroes -- and all the heroes. So I just decided to put that. And after September 11, we all need peace around the world.
PHILLIPS: Ah, that's wonderful. And Alan, did you come up with this idea to have this contest when you were developing these other ornaments? And then how were the kids judged?
SILVERSTONE: Well, we actually came up with the idea for the contest in the summer, and when September 11 happened, it took on a whole new meaning. And we were pleased to announce that all of the entries were very inspirational. They're on display in front of the Incredible Christmas Store in Rockefeller Center right now.
And we found that the students really were helping to heal themselves by entering the contest.
HARRIS: OK, well, tell us...
SILVERSTONE: All of these, by the way, are available to see on our Web site, IncredibleChristmas.com, if anyone wants to go and see the ornaments you saw before, which help the Red Cross and the Victims' Relief Fund for the Twin Towers and the Firemen's Widows and Orphans Fund.
HARRIS: And I believe there's your -- there's the Web site right there.
PHILLIPS: You know, a lot of this on that Web site too, ornaments are beautiful, yes.
HARRIS: All right.
PHILLIPS: All right, so you've got a special announcement to make, right, Alan?
HARRIS: Yes, we want to...
SILVERSTONE: yes.
HARRIS: ... we want to see what you think about these two, these two submissions right here.
SILVERSTONE: Right, in fact, the ornament you just saw on the screen was given -- we're giving that to Vicki and to Cynthia. That's our ornament by Peggy Walsh, which depicts a taxi in New York City. Plus I'm giving each of them a gift certificate for art supplies for themselves.
PHILLIPS: Oh, so you're telling us right now, these two are the winners.
SILVERSTONE: And -- these are the winners of the contest. Vicki won the high school division and Cynthia won the middle school division. And each of their art classes will get $5,000 in gift certificates for art supplies to help them out in their art development of the school.
HARRIS: Well, congratulations, guys.
PHILLIPS: Now, Vicki and Alan, did you guys knew that you -- did you know that you won?
CHAN: Yes.
HECHME: Yes.
PHILLIPS: Oh, OK. We were told they were supposed to be a surprise, but I guess the cat's out of the bag.
HARRIS: Cynthia was just so -- she was just so cool about it, she just -- you could tell she knew it was in the bag, right?
PHILLIPS: That's right, Vicki. Vicki took his check, you know, and say -- That's right.
Well, let me tell you, you -- Alan talked about how this has been such a healing process for so many students. Making that ornament, for you, Vicki, let's start with you, how did it make you feel, and how did you -- were you able to resolve in your heart and mind? Was this good therapy for you, I guess, developing your ornament?
How did it make you feel to develop your ornament?
CHAN: Actually, I draw something, I draw children, it's holding their hand and surrounding the American flag. It means together, yes.
PHILLIPS: Very good.
CHAN: And the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I mean, the love. Yes, the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and something else.
HARRIS: All right. Well, look, congratulations, kids. Way to go. Vicki, Cynthia, congratulations. Alan, it's a great idea. Hope you keep up the good work.
SILVERSTONE: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Once again, and you can log onto the Web site, it's Incredible...
SILVERSTONE: IncredibleChristmas -- IncredibleChristmas.com.
PHILLIPS: There you go.
HARRIS: All right.
PHILLIPS: You can still purchase these ornaments, and we'll be looking for Cynthia's and Vicki's ornaments too. Thanks, guy.
HARRIS: Happy holidays, guys.
SILVERSTONE: Thanks, happy holidays to you.
CHAN: Thank you.
HECHME: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
