Vista kids visualize fair housing for project

VISTA — The city of Vista, diverse ethnically and economically, makes it a priority that no one suffers discrimination in housing and housing-related transactions. For the 13th year in a row, Vista encouraged the city’s elementary and middle school youth to join of the fair housing effort with the city of Vista Fair Housing Poster Contest. The 12 winners out of 127 entrants were announced April 28. Prizes included WAVE Waterpark and Krikorian Cinema tickets.
The contest is run by Kelly Matthews, fair housing program manager for Vista. Each year, Matthews makes the rounds to the YMCA, the Boys & Girls Club and other after school programs, passing out information on housing discrimination. He said he gives a few guidelines as to what the city is looking for but that the children take the ball and run with it.
And run they did. Carli Shaposhnick, first-place winner in the third- through fifth-grade category, drew herself playing with her neighbor in front of a house whose door was emblazoned with “Welcome Everybody.” Sixth- through eighth-grade first-place winner Karen Ceballos featured several hands of different colors all embracing a key to a house door. Austin Dupriest took the theme to the extreme with his depiction of a monkey holding a key to his monkey house. He won an honorable mention in the sixth- to eighth-grade category.
“It’s amazing how much information they understand and how much they already know, even before I get to them,” Matthews said. “I wait all year to be able to do this and to go out and work with the kids.”