Local students win awards at regional art competition
Gold Key winners will go to New York for the nationals

Several Cabarrus County students were winners recently in the annual Mid-Carolina Region Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition.

The event was open to students in Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln and Union counties and drew 1,700 entries.

Gold Key winners advanced to national competition in New York. They and the second-place Silver Key winners were honored at a reception last month in Charlotte.

The top winners were the American Vision awards, which were a "best of show" honor for students in various categories.

This year's show was organized by a pair of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools arts coordinators -- Dean Johns, director of arts education; and Cheryl Maney, visual arts and dance specialist. The two got help from ArtsTeach, the Charlotte-based group that provides funding for programs that use the arts to help with the general curriculum.

The annual event is considered the top student art competition in the Piedmont.

Top awards
N.C. Art Education Association: Alex Gordon (Cannon School).American Vision Art nominees: Soo Jin Kim (Myers Park High); Justin Hall (Harding University High); Sam Keesler (Hopewell High), Madison Murphy (Charlotte Country Day); Anneke Demmink (Northwest School of the Arts).

American Vision Writing nominees: Kaitlin Barnes (Providence High); Natashe Duarte (Gaston Day); Colin Keil (Charlotte Latin); Grace Um (Providence High).

Art Gold Key winners
Ceramics: Kelsey Hoke (Central Cabarrus High); Amber Nivens (Concord High); Ashley Rodriguez (Central Cabarrus High).

Ceramics, Glass: Pedro Gomez, two awards (A.L. Brown High).

Design/Graphic: Rachel Humphries (Robinson High).

Design/Product: Tal Jacobs (Cannon School).

Digital Imagery: Paul Reetzke (Cannon School).

Drawing: Cara Alston (A.L. Brown High); Laquinta Fennell (Concord High); Corrine Gach (Harris Road Middle); Pedro Gomez, two awards (A.L. Brown High); Jesus Lopez (Concord High); Eduardo Rivas (A.L. Brown High); Jose Santibanez (A.L. Brown High).

Mixed Media: Alex Gordon (Cannon School); Shannon Grumbly (Robinson High); Shannon McIntyre (Robinson High); Leah Williams (A.L. Brown High).

Painting: Katherine Clark (Northwest Cabarrus High); Scott Glines (Concord High); Miguel Palima (Robinson High).

Printmaking: Erikah Bohanan (Friday Middle).

Sculpture: Menaka Wilhelm (Cannon School).

Art Silver Key winners
Ceramics: Stephanie Schauder (Cannon School).

Drawing: Cara Aston (A.L. Brown High); Jane Mussen (A.L. Brown High); Eduardo Rivas (A.L. Brown High)

Fiber/Weavings: Sarah Conley (Concord High).

Mixed Media: Adam Stoner (Cannon School).

Sculpture: Geoff deVries (Concord First Assembly Christian); Pedro Gomez (A.L. Brown High); Ryan Scolaro (Cannon School).