When Pedro Trevino saw his young niece ask her mother for a cuddle during a nighttime study session, he knew it was an ideal moment to capture with his camera. He was pleasantly surprised when his moving image took the grand prize award in this year’s College Seen, an annual photo competition sponsored by the Foundation for California Community Colleges, its CollegeBuys program, and Adobe®.

The woman in the photo is Trevino’s sister, Maria, a recently divorced, single mother who returned to college to secure a brighter future for her children. After spending long days at work and school, family time for Maria is often combined with studying, as captured in Trevino’s grand prize-winning photo.

The image not only depicts a reality many community college students face, but also provides a source of inspiration for Trevino, who recently enrolled at West Hills Community College after serving in the military for five years. The 29-year-old student, who has enjoyed photography as a creative outlet for the past 12 years, is pursuing his goal of teaching English literature to high school students.

On particularly tough days, Trevino says he looks to his sister, who also attends West Hills, for motivation. “It is truly inspirational to see a single mother experience drastic change and still achieve her goals so that she may set a positive example and provide for her children,” he said of Maria.

The College Seen photo contest draws hundreds of entries from community college students throughout the state each year. In addition to Trevino, five other California Community College students were awarded first place in separate categories, all selected based on their visual impact, technical execution, style, and category relevancy. The grand prize comes with $500 cash from the Foundation, and all winners receive the Adobe Creative Suite® 4 Design Premium package, courtesy of Adobe®.

First Place Winners
Affinity is pleased to showcase the winners of the College Seen 2009 student photo contest. For more information on the College Seen contest or to sign up for College Seen updates, visit www.CollegeSeen.org.