She’s too young to vote but wins large election role

Eleven-year-old Spokane artist Desirae Rose Marion took it in stride Tuesday when Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed announced her work will be viewed by 3 million people this fall – about as many as typically visit the Louvre in a four-month period.

Reed announced Tuesday that Desirae – who goes by Dessi – had won a statewide contest to design the cover of the voters’ pamphlet for this November’s general election. Her design was one of some 27,000 entries from students across the state.

Dessi suspected she had won something when her family showed up at the Libby Center, where she attends the Spokane Public Schools “Odyssey” program for gifted fifth- through eighth-graders. But she wasn’t sure what until Reed made the announcement.

“I didn’t think I would win, but I did,” the unflappable fifth-grader said. “The first thing that came to mind was what to do. Do I cry, do I laugh or do I just give a blank stare?”

She laughed with joy.

“I’m a very proud grandmother,” said Phyllis Marion.

She watched Tuesday’s ceremony along with her husband, Elden. Dessi’s father, Scott Marion, and her older brother, Victor, and family friend Sharon Stillwell also were on hand. They were tipped in advance but kept the secret from Dessi.

Having her work viewed by 3 million registered voters is “a little bit” intimidating, but “nothing I can’t handle,” Dessi said. “If I didn’t know what the prize would be if I won, I wouldn’t have entered.”

She and most of her 27 Odyssey classmates entered the contest with encouragement from teacher Kristy Masteller.

Dessi’s red-white-and-blue drawing features a scroll with election choices and the words that were the theme of this year’s contest: “Your vote is your voice.”

She’s modest about her technique: “I outlined the thing in marker and used crayon.”

As for inspiration, she chuckled, “It’s just something random. I didn’t have any inspiration. I just thought of it.”

But, Dessi added, if she had to name an inspiration, “it would probably be my dad. He’s a real good drawer, and he’s drawn a lot of things.”

She thinks she probably inherited some of his talent.

Apparently, though, the artistic genes didn’t come from her grandmother.

“I can’t even draw a stick man,” Phyllis Marion said.

So, does Dessi fancy a career in art?

Actually, she said, “I kind of want to be one of those pet therapists. I heard they make a lot of money, too.”

And artists don’t, she’s heard.

“I might paint in my spare time, though.”