Cactus High School Senior Sofia Garcia created this winning design in Valley Metro’s Design a Transit Wrap Contest.. She is the only student to win this contest twice, winning in 2015 as a sophomore.
By Bette Sharpe
Glendale Daily Planet
A Cactus High School senior beat out nearly 200 other students Valleywide by coming up with a winning design that covers an entire public transit vehicle.
This is the second time Sofia Garcia has won Valley Metro’s 2017 Design a Transit Wrap contest, which requires the design feature a short, one-sentence slogan that either promotes public transit in general or points out one or more of the benefi ts of public transit.
“I was really inspired by how public transportation brings people together,” said Ms. Garcia at last week’s unveiling at Cactus High, which Glendale City Councilman Ray Malnar attended. “It connects people from all walks of life. They come together for a moment on their individual journey. It’s really special.”
Her artwork, titled “ The journey begins here,” will be featured on a bus and a lightrail train for one year.
From left, Valley Metro CEO Scott Smith, Cactus High School senior Sofia Garcia, whose design was selected for the ‘2017 Design a Transit Wrap Contest,’ and Glendale Councilman Ray Malnar, Sahauro District. The student will receive a $500 award for her first-place win.
“Valley Metro opened a ton of doors for me,” she said. “It’s amazing how much self-confi dence winning the art contest gave me.”
Ms. Garcia was the youngest student to win the contest in 2015 and is the first in the 17-year history of the context to win it twice. She was awarded $500 for her win.
The entries were judged by a panel consisting of transit staff members,
