Advika Gunturu – Winner, Conrad Ainslie Bauman Award for Best Artwork

Advika is a 4th Grader in Texas. She loves to draw,  swim, sing and ride her bike. Advika likes to tinker around in the kitchen and makes curious snacks by mixing strange ingredients we wouldn’t normally use together. She likes trying different cuisines and make an inter- continental experimental fusion which are tried out on us. Advika is also a Cub Scout and she loves to spend time with her Grandparents. Lately, she’s been trying to Kayak on her own and get into one without flipping it over. 

Click here or scroll down to view Advika’s winning artwork.

Our Interview with Advika

Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes, this year was the first time I entered the contest.

What inspired your work?
I realized that it was the 100th anniversary from when the 19th amendment was passed, so I decided that I would draw a bald eagle protecting the women to celebrate that.

What did you learn while creating your entry?
I learned about many women who were included in the Women’s Suffrage movement, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott.

How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
I usually have conversations with my friends and we discuss the constitution while at lunch or during social studies group discussions.

How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
Some of my friends are interested in US history and like to ask our Social Studies teacher questions about it but others are the more chatty kind and are not really interested. It depends on where a person’s interests are focused.

What do you love about U.S History and the forming of our government?
I like that the people in the government are voted on, and that the positions are not passed down which then gives any skilled person a chance.

Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
I would like to visit the Gettysburg Battlefield, the 6000 acre Civil War military park to envision how the battle took place.

Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
To me, Susan B Anthony is the most inspirational historical figure because she was one of the leaders of the Women’s Suffrage movement and also because of her determined personality to reach her goal.

Who is your greatest role model?
My greatest role model is my mother because she always looks out for me and sets a great example of who I want to be when I grow up which is focused and hardworking

What in your life are you most passionate about?
I think I am most passionate about my schooling.

How do you spend your free time?
In my free time I like to doodle, origami, paint and read books.

What are your plans for the future?
When I grow up I want to be an archaeologist and uncover the mystery of the Stonehenge. This ancient Stonehenge is in the UK and was created during the Neolithic period. Strangely, the large stones used to create the Stonehenge were slightly blue. The mystery behind this is that these blue stones can be found in only one place in the UK and that place is over 120miles away. What is so important about these stones that the Neolithic people would bother transporting them all that way to build Stonehenge?

If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
I would start more food banks and build more shelters for the homeless.

Why is the Constitution relevant today?
The constitution sets some basic rules down to help keep our country going. For example, it divides the government into 3 separate parts and fairly distributes power instead of giving all the power to one person like in monarchy and there are checks and rules to power.