Detroit eighth-grader Inaya Smith wins Lions coloring contest and brings pride to Emerson Elementary

Detroit, Michigan – Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary-Middle School got a new burst of color and pride when eighth-grader Inaya Smith won the “Color The Roar” Lions coloring book contest. The City Office of Arts, Culture, and Entrepreneurship (Detroit ACE) announced the award, which shows off both artistic talent and school passion as Detroit gets ready for another exciting football season.

Detroit ACE and the Detroit Lions teamed together to make a special team-themed coloring book, which led to the sweepstakes. It has the best parts of the Lions’ 2024 run, and children throughout Michigan may use their imagination to bring the pages to life. Young painters sent in finished drawings to the City, which chose the best ones and sent them to the Detroit Public Schools Community District for final judging.

Smith’s contribution beat out more than 50 other semifinalists and won first prize after being looked over by ACE Director Rochelle Riley and a student panel from the Detroit Lions Academy. The present she received included a David Montgomery shirt, a lot of Lions clothing made just for her, and acknowledgment from the whole school. Two other students also did well: Atithi Roy, a sixth-grader from Davison Elementary-Middle School, came in second, and Malia Vang, an eighth-grader from Fisher Magnet Upper Academy, came in third.

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The school officials and contest organizers said that the students’ art was precise, creative, and full of emotion. Monique Bryant, a member of the DPSCD board, lauded the competitors for their ingenuity and said that competitions like these enable students’ opinions be heard and enhance the link between education and the arts.

“DPSCD students continue to impress us with their brilliance,” Bryant said. “The detail, imagination and heart they put into this contest reflect exactly why we do this work. We are committed to elevating their voices, celebrating their creativity and creating spaces for them to shine. Congratulations to all our winners, and thank  you to our partners for helping our students rise.”

“We are celebrating the Lions in every way we can,” Riley said. “We also want to celebrate our students and encourage them to follow their passions toward art careers if they are artists.”

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You can download the coloring book online. It has some of the most memorable moments for Detroit fans, like David Montgomery’s overtime touchdown against the Rams, Dan Campbell taking the game ball from Jared Goff after a big win over Dallas, Amon-Ra St. Brown’s headstand in the end zone, and Jahmyr Gibbs’ four-touchdown performance that won the NFC North title.

For Smith, the artwork is now a sign of skill, hard labor, and the loud pride of a city and a team.