Like a rock concert for tomorrow’s jukebox hero, this year’s Idaho Lottery Collegiate Scratch Ticket Design Contest winning entry from Lewis-Clark State College definitely has stars in their eyes.  Trevor Nesbitt, a junior Graphic Arts and Printing Technology student at LCSC was the state’s top winner with his legends of rock-n-roll inspired design of “Amped on Cash”, the scratch ticket that jams.

“I wanted to create something unique, but followed in the trends of recent video games like Guitar Hero and Rock Star,” explained Nesbitt, a life-long resident of Lewiston who plays both electric and acoustic guitars as a hobby. “I blended my two loves, graphic arts and playing the guitar to create my design.”

Nesbitt’s custom illustration of a guitar player hooked up to an amplifier was drawn by hand and is a design he says is done with emotion. “It will blow you away,” described Nesbitt. “The ticket has some energy, the guy is playing solo, his eyes closed. He’s feelin’ it.”

The top prize for winning this year’s design contest is a $1,000 scholarship which Nesbitt says he’ll put towards starting his own design firm in the Lewiston area.

This year’s contest saw 49 students submit a total of 61 entries from Idaho State University, the University of Idaho, Lewis-Clark State College, College of Southern Idaho and North Idaho College. The entries were scored by a select panel of graphic and scratch ticket experts who used design, play style, marketability, and creativity as the criteria for judging all the submissions.

“This design contest is one more way the Idaho Lottery furthers their mission of benefiting public schools,” said Sherie Moody-St. Clair, the Lottery’s Advertising Manager. “It’s a great opportunity for collegiate graphic design students to utilize their education skills in a real-life, work scenario while adding to their portfolio.”

In addition to Nesbitt, other top winners included Katie Anderson from the University of Idaho with her design Fishin’ for Fortune that won her a $500 second prize scholarship.  “I wanted to design a ticket that would tie in with things that people do in Idaho, something they could relate too,” stated Anderson.

The third place winner, Kitty Weber from Idaho State University in Pocatello, won $200 for her film noir style ticket Coin Caper.  Almost taken from the pages of a Marvel Comic, Coin Caper draws the player into a storyline to find a museum’s priceless coin collection that has been stolen and hidden somewhere in the city. “I had just gotten done watching The Shadow and I wanted to do a design in that genre.” elaborated Weber on the inspiration for her unique style of ticket.

While all three top tickets will be a part of the Official Lottery Line-up of tickets in Fiscal Year 2009, the real rock star of the group is “Amped on Cash” with the rock-n-roll power to “scratch on!”...or play a little air guitar.  When “Amped” does make its debut in stores, just keep in mind it probably won’t come with flashing lights, roaring crowds, a great soundtrack or 80’s metal band hair-styles but could be destined for legends of rock stardom.