Central Unified student and teacher win trip to 9/11 Memorial in New York City

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It's a piece of history current students weren't alive to see, but that isn't stopping them from learning about it.

A Central Unified Student is now planning a trip to 9/11 memorial in New York City and it's all thanks to her creativity.

It's a painting that has more to it than the eye can see.

Each piece is hand-picked to represent something deeper.

Central High Freshman Rajkiran Kaur Jandu created the painting as an eighth grader at El Capitan Middle School.

"Everything I tried to put into it, it was intentional so it could represent something, if someone had the time to search it up," Rajkiran said.

She created the artwork for the 2024 One Voice Contest hosted by the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools.

The competition asked students to create works of art that honor one or more heroes of the September 11th terror attacks and shows how the country was united the following day.

Teacher librarian Rosemarie King was the one who recommended Rajkiran take part in the competition.

"Rajkiran was in the library a lot in middle school, and I got to know her and see her as a fantastic student," King said.

In her 7th grade year, she entered the competition and finished in the top 10.

In her 8th-grade year, she wanted to do better, and she did.

At the annual competition, she knew she made top three, but then found out she won the grand prize.

"I was like wow, like out of all these amazing paintings mine got the grand prize? I was like that's crazy and then I felt really happy about myself like I could do something," Rajkiran said.

Rajkiran credits her parents for helping her by critiquing her work and encouraging her along the way.

King says she was thrilled the grand prize went to such a great student.

"She was very proud of the work and I was very proud of her," King said.

As part of the grand prize, Rajkiran and King get a paid trip to New York City to visit the National 9/11 Memorial.

And despite not being alive when the attacks happened, Rajkiran reflected in her painting what she wants the world to remember about that day more than 20 years ago.

"Together I want us to recognize that those who risked their lives to help others should be remember equally alongside the lost," Rajkiran read.

The two are planning to take their five-day, four-night trip to New York City next summer.

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