Princeton ISD students had the opportunity to showcase their creative talents through a state-run art competition.

Ninth grade students from Lovelady High School competed in this year’s Visual Arts Scholastic Event held by the Texas Art Education Association.

Any student from ninth through twelfth grade is eligible to enter the arts event and the top performers from the regional competitions have the opportunity to participate in the statewide competition. 

Each student who enters also writes about their creative processes and understanding of visual art and gets interviewed by a competition judge about their artwork.

Lindsey Shirley, an art teacher at Lovelady, works alongside Emily Bowman to help students brainstorm art ideas and the submit of the final work, while also providing plenty of encouragement along the way.

High school students typically work through their final ideas and begin their entry before the district’s winter break, said Shirley. She added they spend the first week back finishing the artwork before it gets submitted to the art competition at the end of January, and students will spend at least two weeks in class and at home on their work.

Shirley said this is the first year for both Bowman and her, and it is also the first time the district has had students compete in this competition.

“We encourage the students to put in as much effort as they can,” Shirley said. “This competition can lead to scholarships and state recognition for the individual.”

The students who competed were Angela Rosales, Gabriella Rivera, Ellena Momanya, Brooke Rater and Eduardo Olalde.

For the full story, see the Feb. 24 issue of the Princeton Herald.