Decorated windows, harvest time at a local orchard and Christmas events are among the reasons local students love Athens.

The Athens Mayor’s Youth Commission recently held an art contest — “Falling In Love With Athens” — and asked local students to express what they love most about fall and winter in the city. The Youth Commission received more than 50 entries from elementary and middle school artists.

One student depicted her family members and how they are looking forward to celebrating the holidays for the first time in Athens. Other students painted or drew images of the annual Christmas parade, pumpkins at Isom’s Orchard and playing in fall leaves.

Alyssa Gilbert, a middle school student at Athens Renaissance School, painted Athens Florist and wrote how she enjoys seeing the decorated windows on her way to school.

“Each entry indicated these art students put some thought into what makes Athens feel like home to them,” said Athens Mayor’s Youth Commission mentor Holly Hollman. “It was delightful to see what captures their imagination and interest.”

Youth Commissioners voted and chose 11 entries for display in the Athens City Hall Art Corner.

First place winners are Arabella Parsons of Athens Middle School for her drawing of Kreme Delite at Christmastime and Noah Ferrary of HEART Academy at Julian Newman Elementary School for his creation, which used leaves to depict how he likes “to jump in the leaves” in the fall.

Other artists on display at City Hall are:

• Avery Tippee, FAME Academy at Brookhill Elementary School: “Fall Pumpkins”;

• Laurel Abney, SPARK Academy at Cowart Elementary School: “Playing In Leaves With Mom”;

• Brayden Herrod, SPARK at Cowart: “Athens Winter Moon Tree”;

• Carley Kennedy, HEART Academy at Julian Newman Elementary School: “Sipping Hot Chocolate In Winter”;

• Anna Chesnut, Athens Middle School: “Isom’s And Fall Harvest”;

• Ivy Bahro, SPARK at Cowart: “Watching the Athens Christmas Parade”;

• Selah Parsons, iAcademy at Athens Elementary School: “Christmas At The Courthouse”;

• Reid Williamson, FAME at Brookhill: “Fall Leaves”; and

• Alyssa Gilbert, Athens Renaissance School: “Athens Florist Decorated Windows”.

The public is welcome to view the Art Corner between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

The other art entries are on display at High Cotton Arts in downtown Athens in the TRAIL Student Studio. The public is welcome to view them during open hours Wednesday through Saturday and during this weekend’s Christmas Open House.

About the Athens Mayor’s Youth Commission

The Athens Mayor’s Youth Commission is comprised of students in grades 10 through 12 from Athens High School, Athens Bible School and Lindsay Lane Christian Academy who are interested in learning about local government’s role and their role to be engaged and informed citizens.