Boy Designs Winning Berry Festival Shirt

Ryan Morrison thought he was in trouble when a teacher called him at home last week.

But the news was sugar sweet, just like the large strawberry dunked in chocolate that 11-year-old Ryan had drawn to win the Youth T-shirt Design Contest for the California Strawberry Festival.

Ryan’s design was chosen to be showcased on the event’s T-shirt from among 800 entries from three school districts in the Oxnard area.

“Everybody just loved it when we saw it,” said Shelley Merrick, executive director of the 17th annual Strawberry Festival.

“He captured one of the most popular things at the festival, which is eating these long-stemmed, huge, red, juicy strawberries dipped in chocolate.”

Ryan said his crayon drawing was inspired by the time he sank his teeth into the luscious morsel for the first time.

“I took my first bite of one last year and loved it,” he said. “I had to draw it at least 10 times over before it was right.”

Ryan and his fifth-grade class from Hollywood Beach School toured the Maritime Museum at Channel Islands Harbor on Tuesday after the ceremonial presentation.

The Strawberry Festival runs May 20-21 at Strawberry Meadows of College Park, adjacent to Oxnard College.