NNPS student's winning design adorns NNFD dog's vest
Posted: March 19, 2026
Hines Middle School student Kadence Lucero met the Newport News Fire Department's new explosives detection dog, Lumi, as the link between the two was celebrated on March 18.
Lucero won the Newport News Public Schools art contest asking students to design the name patch that Lumi will wear on his protective vest. Fire Chief Wesley Rogers presented Lucero with a certificate and several Lumi's patch-related gifts after having her attach Lumi's patch to his vest during NNFD's visit to Hines.
Lucero got to meet and visit with Lumi, and talk with those who worked together on the partnership between NNPS and the fire department.
"It was cool," Lucero, a sixth grader, said of seeing her design that will go out into the community on all of Lumi's job duties. "I liked it. It was insane that I did that. It was really cool."
Rogers, Fire Marshal John Applewhite, Assistant Fire Marshal and Lumi's handler Karen Walker, Public Education Coordinator Lisa King and several other fire department representatives were on hand to visit with Lucero, Hines art teacher Richelle Hodge, Hines Assistant Principal Kristel Epps and NNPS Instructional Supervisor of the Visual and Performing Arts Katie SheehanSmith.
The patch's red and white design stands out brightly against Lumi's black vest and black fur. NNFD also purchased stickers with the design, which they plan to have on hand for distribution and had shared while on a visit to the Commonwealth Attorney's office that morning.
Lumi, which is short for Lumineer, joined the NNFD in October and the department wanted a special design for his vest's name patch. King contacted SheehanSmith for assistance and she ran a contest for all middle school students to submit entries.
Middle schools were chosen specifically because those students don't always get as many opportunities, according to SheehanSmith. More than a hundred students submitted designs, including approximately 20 from Hines.
"The representation of students having to create something within certain parameters, knowing that it was going to be reproduced for community use, so the patch itself is one thing," SheehanSmith said. "And then we didn't know about the stickers, but that's kind of really cool that that's going to be there. It's just another representation of how the city and the school division are collaborating and the opportunities that we have there.
"To know that it's a student design on a Newport News Fire Department employee that's going to go out and represent. And then to hear them say that they were just at the Commonwealth Attorney's office and passing out those stickers. That's really neat to know that that's a Newport News student who had that opportunity and we're going to see that all over the community now."
Hodge said she's grateful for the numerous opportunities for students to grow and share their artwork through the many contests offered in NNPS. She chose this one for students in her Art Club, which Lucero had just joined.
"It's always a great opportunity, for the fire department especially, police department, any contest dealing with our community is a great thing," Hodge said. "It is an honor."
Seeing Lucero win will motivate other students to do more, which she said is a great thing. The experience has also gotten Lucero more interested in art.
"It's probably something that I would want to pursue in my life," Lucero said. "Art is something that's always been there whenever I just needed something to do."
