Newport Girl Wins State Insect Drawing Contest

To celebrate the new state insect, the endangered American Burying Beetle, Governor Gina Raimondo in July launched a statewide drawing contest asking children to depict the bug enjoying Rhode Island in the summertime.

The winner, announced Tuesday, is none other that 8-year-old Emma Hoag of Newport, whose entry showed not only great drawing skills, but also a knack for strategy.

Hoag’s approach was to layer in many Rhode Island icons and symbols. A smart deduction, since it is a state drawing contest for children in grades one through five launched by the state’s governor to celebrate a new state insect, after all.

So her bug is sipping a frozen lemonade — Del’s anyone? — next to a Rhode Island Red, the state bird. State birds and bugs flock together in this world. The state motto, “Hope,” is big and bold. She put in the state flower, the violet, too.

Raimondo said that Hoag’s drawing showed great creativity and will soon grace the State Room at the Rhode Island State House next month along with the other winning drawings picked from a pool of 150.

The winners were announced at a ceremony at Roger Williams Park Zoo. Hoag was joined by the governor, Senate President Teresa Paiva-Weed and Director of Conservation Programs at the zoo, Louis Perrotti.

The increasingly-endangered beetle is uniquely found on Block Island, putting Rhode Island in the unique steward’s role of protecting a creature under threat and disappearing due to habitat loss.

The focus on children here goes beyond the natural fascination some kids have about bugs. The reason why Rhode Island lawmakers went ahead and created, voted on and passed legislation to name the American Burying Beetle the state insect sits squarely on the shoulders of a group of boys and girls at St. Michael’s Country Day School, who lobbied for it through the democratic process.

The third graders put together a compelling argument and petitioned local lawmakers, and eventually, addressed the House and Senate in an effort to make Rhode Island known for one more bug beyond the Big Blue one on the side of Interstate 95 near the Thurbers Avenue curve.

“Rhode Island has a state insect because third graders from St. Michael’s Country Day School took their education beyond the classroom and got involved in the democratic process,” Raimondo said. “This drawing competition was inspired by their civic engagement. I am proud of all the participants for showing excellent creativity and imagination.”

The Governor also announced four honorable mentions:

• Frankie Kivlehan of Block Island: Best depiction of Rhode Island’s beaches
• Niyah Flynn of Providence: Best depiction of summertime activities in Rhode Island
• Julia Connelly of Newport: Best depiction of the American burying beetle
• Lily Neves of Cumberland: Best depiction of the Rhode Island food scene