Washington, D.C. - In a typically American fashion, a recent South Korean immigrant has won the first annual National Tartan Day Poster Art Competition. Ms. Youngeun Kim, a tenth-grade student in Fairfax County's Langley High School, created the artwork titled "A Piece of Music for America's Quilt" that depicts the blending of the American and Scottish cultures.

Ms Kim moved to the Washington, D.C. area from Seoul, South Korea, in October, 2003, when her father starting working at the World Bank. Math and science are her favorite subjects with a great interest in music and art, as well. She is currently the first-chair flutist with the Langley Symphony Band and the Marching Band. Ms. Kim is studying American history and culture, with an emphasis on the influence of European history and culture. Her history teacher suggested that she enter the competition and she started her research by quizzing friends and acquaintances with Scottish ancestry.

Ms. Kim notes that "This National Tartan Day competition was a great opportunity for me to learn about the other culture and how it can influence on another country. I am very excited about the fact that I won the first place. But more than that, I am glad that I have had a chance to experience and study about this 'influence of culture' on America and around the world."

Special Thanks

The Teacher's Guide and competition is in collaboration with The Living Legacy of Scotland, Inc., a member of the National Capital Tartan Day Committee, Inc., and affiliated with The Scottish Coalition. Special thanks to Bart Forbes for researching, collating and editing the materials in the Teacher's Guide and Student Competition and to Dr. Michael Newton for academic guidance.