Winners of 2013 Student Photo Contest

First place winner: Leena El-Sadek. Her photo from Maharashtra, India creatively tells the story of education and access to water, two of the most important elements of a child's life. After school, three girls rushed over to the public water pump to show the Leena and her peers how they collect water for their families. Judges loved the color, the expressions on the young girls' faces and the significance for global health. The image highlights the strength of their small hands as they pump water.

Second place: Roxana Martinez. Her photo shows a traditional Mayan midwife in Guatemala. Midwives often say they have a calling, or don, from God to practice the sacred work of bringing children into the world. With this calling often comes physical sickness. Frustrated that she was too sick to work, the husband of this midwife abused and abandoned her. Today, she is a single woman and midwife who owns her own store. Judges said it is a brilliant impersonation of a story in a photo, and hints at the woman’s struggles and resilience. Her story leaves us wanting more.

Third place winner tie: Rolvix Patterson and Emma Smith. Rolvix's photo from Haiti shows a nurse caring for a young girl at the monthly travel clinic. These health care workers treat many patients while striving to offer a welcoming and positive environment to patients who may not otherwise have access to care. Judges said the unique framing of the shot, as an outsider looking in, is perfect. It’s relevant, candid, dynamic and emphatic.

Smith's photo was taken in the mountains outside Farande, Togo. The young girl pictured drinks a fermented sorghum beer, a specialty drink in the region that is commonly consumed by people of all ages -- from the elderly to young toddlers. This drink is usually sipped out of a dried-out shell of a mature calabash plant shown in the photo. Judges said the photo is attention-grabbing and captivating, and the story is not what you would expect.

The photos, along with others from the contest, will be displayed in Trent Hall.