OXNARD : Lemonwood Student Is Berry Honored

A clown wearing a lime-colored wig and a red jumpsuit with a green leaf collar, her face painted white and her lips strawberry-red, handed out balloon animals Wednesday to Carolann Harper’s fourth-grade class.

The 32 Lemonwood School students held their animals obediently on the carpet as they carefully balanced paper plates of strawberry shortcake on their laps.

Then it was time for the presentation. The berry moment they had been waiting for.

Ten-year-old Jeanne Betty Ramirez stood up before the class and was congratulated by her teacher, school officials and Ventura County Supervisor John K. Flynn for drawing the winning design in the California Strawberry Festival’s youth T-shirt contest.

The design, which features two strawberries with bites taken out of them and the message, “Time to eat strawberries, Festival ‘92,” was chosen to adorn several hundred T-shirts that will be sold during the annual event to be held May 16 and 17 at Oxnard College.

The money generated by shirt sales will help offset the cost of the festival, said Tsujio Kato, the festival’s chairman.

Jeanne, who moved to Oxnard four years ago from the Philippines, said she is happy that so many people will be walking around with her drawing on their chests.

Wearing a dress-length T-shirt with her design emblazoned on the front, she said it only took about 10 minutes or so to think of the idea in Harper’s class.

“I didn’t want to copy anyone,” she said modestly, flashing a smile.

Despite the praise for her artistic abilities, Jeanne said she likes writing better than drawing.

When she grows up, she said, “I want to be a teacher. Same as Mrs. Harper.”

Jeanne’s drawing was chosen from among 354 entries submitted by elementary students in the Oxnard Elementary School District.

This is Lemonwood’s third year for submitting a winning entry.

Kato said the festival holds the contest to raise the strawberry spirit and get everyone involved.

“It just gets them thinking of strawberries, and we’re able to honor the student, the school and the teacher,” Kato said.