Dream Cars Designed by Youth in National Contest

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March 24, 2021

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PLANO, Texas, March 24, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Cars that make glaciers, vehicles that disinfect the earth, mobile solutions to cleaner water, and flying contraptions that save the world were among the themes of artworks created by nine young artists selected as this year’s winners of the Toyota Dream Car USA Art Contest.

From the pool of Toyota’s nine U.S. Winners, the Petersen Automotive Museum awarded Jiawei (Jery) Chen, age 14 of Florida, to receive its inaugural Petersen Prestige Award for her “Fly Higher with Toyota” drawing.

“In addition to being a well-executed artwork with a remarkable composition, the museum selected Chen’s design because it aligns with our efforts to celebrate the past, present and future of the automobile. Her vehicles harken to automobile design of the 1950s, yet she brings them into the future, imagining a world of eco-friendly flying cars,” said Autumn Nyiri, associate curator, Petersen Automotive Museum.

“Creating art makes me happy. It allows me to express my ideas visually and share my happiness with others. I wanted to create a car that was innovative in a healthy environment,” said Chen.

Now in its 10^th year, the Toyota Dream Car USA Art Contest is designed to inspire creativity in youth and imagine the future of mobility. The nine U.S. youth winners and three Honorable Mention Award recipients for this year’s contest are:

U.S. WINNERS – Age Category 1 (Youth, ages 4-7 years)
Gold Award: “Gadget Toyota Car” by Hahrin Vivian Chiang, age 7, Santa Monica, California
Silver Award: “Disinfection Vehicle” by Xinyu Yi, age 6, Wellesley, Massachusetts
Bronze Award: “Pure Water Vehicle” by Lea Haeun Shin, age 6, Los Angeles, California
Honorable Mention: “Moon Car” by Olivia Yoo, age 7, South Lyon, Michigan

U.S. WINNERS – Age Category 2 (Youth, ages 8-11 years)
Gold Award: “Ocean Eco Car” by Brendan Park, age 10, Los Angeles, California
Silver Award: “Dream Car That Makes Glaciers” by Junyoung Kim, age 10, Fairfax, Virginia
Bronze Award: “Saver of Earth” by Reena Fu, age 10, Diamond Bar, California
Honorable Mention: “The Nar-Whale Car” by Grace Sun, age 10, Livingston, New Jersey

U.S. WINNERS – Age Category 3 (Youth, ages 12-15 years)
Gold Award: “Magical Bubble Car” by Chloe Hyoleen Kim, age 14, Issaquah, Washington
Silver Award: “Fly Higher with Toyota” by Jiawei (Jery) Chen, age 14, Montverde, Florida
Bronze Award: “Saving the Future” by Olivia Hur, age 12, La Crescenta, California
Honorable Mention: “Lightbulb Car” by Lynn Sun, age 12, Livingston, New Jersey

“Many of these young artists shared their joy and excitement that this contest brought to them as they imagined the future of mobility,” said Sean Suggs, group vice president, Toyota Social Innovation. “We thank the thousands of youth across the country who created amazing designs and worked so hard to create such unique works of art.”

“We are excited to exhibit the creations of these next-generation designers in the museum. These submissions have impressed all of us and we cannot wait to see them displayed,” said Terry L. Karges, executive director of the Petersen Automotive Museum.

In addition to the Petersen Automotive Museum, this year, Toyota partnered with 10 other museums, 12 school districts, and 19 dealerships across the United States to share information about the contest and distribute educational resources within their communities. In Los Angeles, the effort continues with a unique collaboration involving undergraduate students from California State University, Dominguez Hills who will work over the coming summer to create 3D-printed interpretations of the contest’s award-winning designs.

Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan held the first worldwide contest in 2004. Nearly 90 countries now host their own national contests. To learn about the world contest, visit www.Toyota-DreamCarArt.com. The U.S. website is www.ToyotaDreamCarUSA.com.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships. Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 36,000 in the U.S. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 30 million cars and trucks at our 9 manufacturing plants, 10 including our joint venture in Alabama that begins production in 2021.

To help inspire the next generation for a career in STEM-based fields, including mobility, Toyota launched its virtual education hub at www.TourToyota.com with an immersive experience and chance to visit many of our U.S. manufacturing facilities. The hub also includes a series of free STEM-based lessons and curriculum through Toyota USA Foundation partners, virtual field trips and more. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

About Petersen Automotive Museum

The Petersen Automotive Museum has one of the largest public automotive collections in the world. A global brand recognized as a center for automotive thought, the museum attracts and engages auto enthusiasts worldwide. This year, its expanding selection of digital content has resulted in a 60% increase in international visitation and 40% increase in visitation by women. Popular among all include the now-virtual editions of Petersen Car Week, private collection tours of The Vault (features over 250 iconic and rare vehicles), educational field trips, and global “Cars & Coffee” events. To learn more, visit www.petersen.org. The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charity.

Contact: Melissa Richardson Banks
[email protected] (213) 537-4483