Bascom was announced as the winner of the second annual Edgewell Personal Care Company and Dollar General Literacy Foundation Emerging Artist Contest, earning Legacy $15,000 and herself another $5,000. All staff members were also gifted a $25 Dollar General gift card.
The contest prompted art teachers to submit something that reflected their style and a representation of how they view art. Bascom has a degree in animation and often focuses her work on African-American subjects, adding she feels a connection with water, another frequent component of her work.
Anjelica Bascom (left) is shown a razor product design featuring her winning art submission.
“We just started seeing African-American representation in cartoons,” Bascom said. “It’s important for me as a teacher to put an emphasis on African-American subjects and inject it into my work where kids see it every day and can connect to my art.”
News of Bascom’s win was cause for celebration, eventually. Bascom said she didn’t tell anyone at Legacy, so when Principal Nathan Tomlinson received a phone call with the news, he hung up, thinking the call was not legitimate. Luckily, Bascom confirmed the call was real, and Tomlinson was able to reconnect with contest officials.
When scholars learned of their art teacher’s accomplishment, they were quick to support, changing their phone wallpapers to Bascom’s work or putting stickers of her victorious entry on the outside of their binders. They were eager to share the news with parents, who sent Bascom congratulations.
Anjelica Bascom was announced as the winner of the second annual Edgewell Personal Care Company and Dollar General Literacy Foundation Emerging Artist Contest.
“The only way parents knew was because their child told them,” Bascom said. “They were excited enough to go home and tell them, and that makes me excited.”
Bascom said the money awarded to the school allows for more activities for kids and will help Legacy make upgrades across the school. She also said she would use some of her money to give back in her classroom with positive behavior incentives and supplies.
The other unique aspect of winning this contest is that the victorious entry will be featured on limited edition Shick Intuition® packaging at Dollar General stores in 2025. Shoppers across the country will see Bascom’s work. She said the rush of emotion won’t hit her until she sees her art in store.
Legacy Principal Nathan Tomlinson (left) and Art Teacher Anjelica Bascom (right) pose with giant checks to celebrate Bascom winning an Emerging Artist Contest.
“Then I’m going to start crying,” Bascom said. “I didn’t know if my work was good enough. I wasn’t sure if what I submitted was what they were looking for. I’m still amazed. It’s great to see, but it’s always a focus that my students get to see me accomplish this.”
Because of this commitment to scholars, it should come as no surprise Legacy has outperformed the local district since the 2013-14 school year.
Bascom said the experience has helped instill confidence and that she wants to write a children’s book next. She is still leading art class at Legacy, and with this accomplishment, Bascom hopes her students know they can achieve.
Legacy Principal Nathan Tomlinson and Art Teacher Anjelica Bascom pose with officials from Dollar General, celebrating Bascom’s accomplishment.
“I think it’s important for students to see people succeed that look like them,” Bascom said. “Its very hard for our urban Detroit kids to think outside of just Detroit and their neighborhoods. I hope seeing their teacher make something that’s going to be all across the United States can help them think bigger.
“I also want to show them that there are different ways you could go into art and still make a profit while doing what you love.”
Congratulations, Anjelica, and thank you for everything you do to support scholars!
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About Legacy Charter Academy
Legacy Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Detroit, Michigan, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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