YAAS

  • The Young Artists and Authors Showcase (YAAS) is an annual contest that encourages youth worldwide to express the mission of Sister Cities International through original artwork, literature, photography, and music.


  • Submissions are centered around an annual theme and judged based on creativity, composition, and theme interpretation. Submission categories include: Classic Art, Digital Art, Photographers, Musicians, Authors, and Poets.


  • Exceptional contributions will be duly recognized with cash prizes for winners in each category of student submissions from sister cities around the world. Selected Grand Prize Winners in each category will win a $1,000 prize, while second place winners will win $250, and third place winners will be awarded $100. Winners’ artwork will be displayed on the Sister Cities Website after the winners are announced during the Youth Leadership Summit. 

Sedona Student Wins International Grand Prize in Young Artists Showcase

Maryam Jaffe

“Creating Global Friendships”

Former Sedona middle school student Maryam Jaffe, 14, has been awarded the Grand Prize in the Classic Art Category (ages 12–14) of the Sister Cities International Young Artists & Authors Showcase. Her winning artwork, "Creating Global Friendships", earned her a $1,000 award and international recognition.

Maryam’s entry was endorsed by the Sedona Sister Cities Association while she attended Red Rock Middle School. Now living in Ashland, Oregon, she will begin high school this fall.

A self-taught artist, Maryam has been passionate about art and drawing for most of her life. “As a child, I was always creating, building, and working on different projects,” she said. She also enjoys volleyball, skateboarding, creative writing, and traveling. This past summer, she visited England and France.

Her artwork reflects the 2025 competition theme, “Friendship: The Heartbeat of Global Peace.” In her artist’s statement, Maryam wrote: “By creating friendships across the world and seeing similarities rather than differences, we will move further towards global peace. My hope is that people can feel this message through my artwork.”

“Maryam’s talent and vision truly embody the spirit of global friendship,” said Ricki Garrett, President and CEO of Sister Cities International. “Her work is both beautiful and deeply meaningful.”

Everything We Can Do

The Earth is dying - There’s nothing we can do Everyone knows that - Don’t they?

We watch as it crumbles -  But we don’t see 

We listen as it cries - But we don’t hear 

The Earth has fallen ill - Why can’t we see it?

It’s begging for our mercy - Why can’t we hear it? If the world is truly crumbling, truly crying - Why can’t we see or hear it?

It’s not that we can’t, it’s that we won’t - We choose not to see, not to listen. 

We convince ourselves they’ll save it -  That they’ll restore what they we have lost 

We put our trust in they - Because we can’t carry the weight 

Because we won’t carry the weight -  Who’s this “they” that we trust so much?

This “they” that will save the Earth? - The truth is “they” doesn’t exist 

There is no “they” coming to save us - To take the weight we don’t want to carry 

Our fate, our future -  Rests in our hands

But we refuse to carry the weight - The Earth is dying 

There’s everything we can do Everyone knows that - Don’t they?

Anisa Jaffe

Anisa is one of 5 children and has lived in many places arriving in Sedona just two years ago from California. As she says “ I found my group pretty quickly.” Anisa has been writing poetry for several years and wrote a book of poetry this year as a part of her AP English class. When asked about entering this competition, Anisa said “I’ve always wanted to enter a competition and it seemed like a cool opportunity.” Her poem “Everything we can do” reflects her concerns and her belief that we can all do something.

Anisa is a dancer, an artist, a poet. She is concerned about the future of our world and the environment and believes that we can all do small things to make a difference. She is glad that the city of Sedona is paying attention and trying to do positive things to sustain the environment.  Anisa says that she is “eco friendly.” This year she did a social action project right before Christmas where she encouraged other students not to purchase products that do animal testing. She created a list of products to avoid and support.  Anisa is a vegan for environmental reasons and carries a water bottle with her everywhere. At eighteen, Anisa is living her life with awareness of mother earth and our environment.

2024 YAAS Entrant - Anisa Jaffe

Poster showcasing winning entries for 2023 International YAAS Competition.

Red Rock High School Career Fair

Three Red Rock High School senior students stopped by the Sedona Sister Cities Booth (run by Carol Myers and Linda Petty) to learn about the YAAS Competition at the Spring Career Fair sponsored by the Rotary Club of VOC.

Sedona Mayor, Scott Jablow and Rob Seely of Canmore.