TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Sequoyah High School junior Peyton Proctor won $25,000 for her art design in the national Cox Mobile Phone Case Design Contest.
Proctor, 17, learned she won Thursday during a surprise schoolwide pep rally. Proctor was selected as the Fan Favorite from over 11,000 voters across the United States, beating out students in San Diego and Arizona. The design contest partnered with Cox Communications and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Cherokee Nation Deputy Principal Chief Bryan Warner and representatives from Cox Mobile attended the ceremony to surprise Proctor as the fan favorite winner.
“Peyton is the embodiment of Cherokee creativity and ingenuity. We have always recognized and encouraged creative arts and proud of our Sequoyah students who exemplify their talents,” Deputy Chief Bryan Warner said. “As an educator myself, it brings me great pride to see one of our star students recognized with national acclaim and I know this $25,000 will help her in her college career.”
Roger Ramseyer, Vice President and Market Leader of Cox Communications congratulated Peyton on her design during the Thursday surprise event.
“When Cox announced earlier this year that Peyton was a finalist in the national competition as the result of her artistic talent, it was emotional and heartwarming to see how her classmates at Sequoyah High School, along with tribal leaders and citizens of the Cherokee Nation and Tahlequah residents all mobilized to help Peyton’s design garner the most votes in the country and become the ‘Fan Favorite,’ said Ramseyer.
The Cox Mobile Phone Case Design Contest invited students across the nation to submit original artwork under the theme “A World Within Reach – Future Icons.” Proctor’s design blended traditional Cherokee motifs with modern technology, symbolizing growth and adaptability.
For her national recognition, Proctor received a $25,000 scholarship. In addition to the scholarship, Proctor has earned her local Club, Boys & Girls Club of Tahlequah, a $10,000 technology grant from Cox to help members explore cutting edge tools and technology.
“I’ve always wanted to be an inspiration to other natives,” said Proctor. “We need more Native representation and to show other young natives that we’re capable of doing anything whenever we put our mind to it. I’m just blown away that I actually won. I want to thank everyone who voted for me.”
Sequoyah High School enrolls more than 300 students representing 42 tribes and 14 different states. Students are eligible to attend if they are members of a federally recognized Indian tribe or one-fourth blood descendants of such members.