~Local youngster's work featured in national children's magazine
SIKESTON -- Eight-year-old Lucas Houchin never gave up hope that his drawing would be featured in Highlights for Children magazine.
Inspired by the St. Louis Rams winning season in 2001, Lucas, then 7, drew a picture of the team's quarterback Kurt Warner and submitted his drawing to the national children's magazine.
It was two months ago when Lucas received a letter from Highlights stating his drawing was in the finals for the May 2003 edition of the magazine.
"Lucas loves to draw and he wanted to do it," noted Lucas' mother, Teresa Houchin. "I think it's great that his drawing was selected. "
The idea to submit a drawing came after Lucas' teacher sent a subscription form for Highlights home with Lucas and his classmates. Lucas subscribed to the magazine and noticed the section, "Our Own Pages," which is full of children's original creative works.
"I saw the address at the bottom of the page and decided I wanted to send a drawing in," Lucas explained.
Lucas said football players aren't the only things he can draw. He likes to draw animals, too, he said. He also wants to be a professional football player when he grows up, he added.
The magazine targets kids ages 2-12. More than 2 million copies of Highlights go 12 times a year to children's homes, schools, libraries and professional offices.
Each year, Highlights receives approximately 35,000 submissions (drawings, poems, stories, jokes, riddles, recipes, book recommendations, letters to the editor, etc.) Roughly 2 percent of the items the magazine receives from children are printed due to a limited amount of space.
"When we sent his drawing in, I reminded Lucas that the magazine is sent all over the United States and that a lot of children send things in," Houchin said. "I just didn't want him to be discouraged and not think he was a good artist if his drawing wasn't picked."
In fact, so much time had passed, Lucas quit thinking about whether or not he was going to hear from the magazine, he said. However, Lucas said he always thought his drawing would be picked for publication.
Highlights officials state the reason it took so long for Lucas' drawing to be published is because the magazine plans its issues many months in advance.
Friends and teachers have congratulated Lucas on his accomplishment. His drawing sits on the page with works by children not only from the United States, but from other countries including Italy, Uruguay and Germany.
Houchin said about her son's recent triumph: "It is really neat and I'm so proud of him."