Pryor High School student Lillie Shearin earned first-place honors in the 2025 Law Day Contest, impressing judges with a handwoven basket that reflects Cherokee culture and the unifying spirit of the U.S. Constitution.
Encouraged to participate by her Cherokee language teacher, Emma Dorman, Shearin carefully considered how to create a submission that honored the culture she studies in her Cherokee language class while addressing this year’s contest theme: “The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One.”
“I used color to show the different cultures we have in our country,” Shearin explained. “I was surprised by how much diversity we have even here in our area.”
Her basket, designed using traditional Cherokee weaving techniques, became more than just a visual work of art—it was a thoughtful representation of cultural blending and national unity. Shearin wove her research into every strand, creating a symbolic piece that captured the attention of the contest’s judges.
“How do people of different cultures come together to strengthen and unite our nation? Like a basket, a nation has individual parts. When separate, they are just parts, like pieces of reed, but when they join together, they become something big and strong,” Shearin said.
Her work beautifully captured the essence of the contest theme, highlighting how the U.S. Constitution helps bridge our differences to bring us together as one nation.
The annual OBA Law Day Art and Writing Contest, sponsored by the Oklahoma Bar Association, is designed to stimulate discussion and understanding of the law among young Oklahomans. This year, more than 1,550 students from 77 towns and over 160 schools and homeschool groups submitted entries. Shearin’s basket stood out for its creativity, cultural relevance, and powerful message.
She was awarded a $500 prize for her winning entry, which she hopes will serve as a reminder of the strength found in unity.