ABILENE – Abilene High School, ATEMS, and Cooper High School art students participated in multiple recent art competitions during the 2020-2021 school year – These include The Association of Texas Photography Instructors Fall Photo Contest, Sierra Nevada FLAT Rate Show, and the Midwestern State University High School Art Competition.
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. The Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent and present their remarkable work to the world through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Through the Awards, students receive opportunities for recognition, exhibition, publication, and scholarships. Gold Key Awards are the very best works and are automatically considered for national-level recognition. Silver Key Awards are stand-out works that demonstrate exceptional ability. Honorable Mention is given for accomplished works showing great skill and potential. The following Cooper students received awards: Aaliyah Mendoza (gold key); Thomas Bannister, Micah Boykin, Morgan Kruse, Sakari Ochoa, and Victoria Sprencel (silver key); and Helena Bridge, Kayden Portillo, and Jalyn Thomas (honorable mention).
The Association of Texas Photography Instructors 2017 Fall Contest: The Association of Texas Photography Instructors 2020 Fall Contest received 4,500 entries from 92 schools. Two students from Abilene ISD placed. These pieces can be viewed at: 2020 Fall Contest Winners – Association of Texas Photography Instructors (smugmug.com).
Two students received Honorable Mentions: Alexandra Escobar and William Young.
Midwestern State University High School Art Competition: Held virtually this year. Seven Cooper students received awards. Two students were awarded Honorable Mentions: Elizabeth Bacherini – Photography, Melody Leija – Graphics. One student received third place: Kayden Portillo – Photography. Three students received second place: Emily Knight – Drawing, Sarah Pena – Mixed Media, Aaliyah Mendoza – Photography. Amelia Sumangil placed first in Photography. Three Abilene High students received awards. Emma Horn (painting) and Rolando Rivera (sculpture) received Honorable Mentions, and MJ Condra received third place (painting).
Sierra Nevada Flat Rate Show: Contest typically requires artwork to be entered in a USPS Flat Rate Box, went entirely virtual this year. The competition is open to any and all media, traditional and non-traditional. Eight Cooper High School students were juried into the show: Aaliyah Mendoza, Angela Smith, Chasady Dodson, Emily KNight, Jeanett Macias, Justice Moore, Madyson Lawson, Marie Niyonzima, Sarah Pena, Trinity Zamora, and Xing Pan.
Congratulations to these students and their teachers.
Abilene High School art students are taught by April Rifenburgh, Jason Clements, Shelby Meier, Kelly McNamee, and Tommy Evans. Cooper High School art students are taught by Amanda Baldwin, Sherry Griffith, Shelby Meier, and Melody Kennedy. ATEMS students are taught by Riley Scroggins.
