Jessica Johnson | The News
Students from high schools all over Surry County entertain the ArtsWOW audience with a song and dance number from “Grease: The Musical”
Jessica Johnson | The News
Tori Hernandez, a first grade student at Dobson Elementary School, stands beside her artwork of an owl she created in her art class. Tori was joined by her proud mother, Evette Bustamante and her brother, 5th grade Dobson Elementary student Joe Hernandez.
Jessica Johnson | The News
Edi Nixon won second place for her artwork of a sea turtle she created, using the pointillism technique. Edi said her art class has inspired her to continue creating art.
Jessica Johnson | The News
Gabriella Hailey, a seventh grade student at Central Middle School, won second place in the 3-D category for her wire art creation of a cat. Her mother, Odessa Dunaway said she was proud of her daughter and mentioned Gabriella’s father would love to be there, George Hailey Jr. who is in the Air Force and stationed in Florida.
Jessica Johnson | The News
Michael Boyd of North Surry High School received the NCTAE Technical Theatre Award.
The Surry County School System celebrated the fourth annual ArtsWOW event, which recognized achievements of students of all ages who excelled in visual arts, music, and drama programs offered through the schools.
The talents of students were on full display at Pilot Mountain Middle School Thursday evening, and those in attendance had the chance to browse an art gallery of student work, featuring many types and genres of art.
The event was dedicated to the memory of Janet Lamb, a visual arts teacher who taught in the system from 2008-2012, who “impacted the artistic talents of many students.” Lamb lost her battle with cancer in October of last year.
In addition, a silent auction held prior to the award ceremony offered work donated by each school, including art created by students and art teachers.
ArtsWOW is an acronym for “A Reason To Say Wow.”
The event’s master of ceremonies was Jeff Tunstall, the director of the accountability and technology for the Surry County School System. He welcomed the audience to the celebration of the “incredibly talented students” of Surry County and thanked the special guests and sponsors, which included WebTeach.com, Surry Insurance, Shelton Vineyards, and SouthData.
Prior to the awards, the Pilot Mountain Middle School Jazz Band showcased its talents while attendees browsed the artwork and silent auction items, as well as refreshments provided by food service workers and advanced food students, including food sculptures.
The audience enjoyed choral numbers including “Star Spangled Banner” sung by elementary students, and “Shady Grove” by students who were members of the N.C. Elementary State Honors Chorus. Jeff Tunstall remarked to the audience that more students from Surry County Schools qualified for the N.C. Elementary State Honors Chorus than any other school system in the state.
Performances also included a rousing dance and song selection from “Grease, The Musical” by high school students from all over Surry County; “The Dream Keeper” by the N.C. Middle School Honors/All-State Chorus; “Loch Lomond” by the Surry Central High School Honors Chorus; and a selection from “Oklahoma” by the Gentry Middle School Drama Club.
Awards were given for theater arts, vocal performances, and visual arts. Students received medals designed by Jayne Willard, a seventh grade student at Pilot Mountain Middle School.
Among the many silent auction items were large barn quilt blocks created and donated by Emily Bryant and Carley Elliot as well as Kayla Jessup, Anne-Louise Tunstall and Brenna Belcher of Pilot Mountain Middle. Other highlights included a hand-painted chair with a colorful farm scene created and donated by Kayla Jessup and Savannah Wall of Pilot Mountain Middle and two Adirondack chairs and planters created and donated by construction department of Surry Central High School.
Gabriella Hailey, a seventh grade student at Central Middle School, received second place for her three dimensional wire sculpture of a cat, which she created in art class. Gabriella’s mother, Odessa Dunaway, said she is very proud of her creative daughter, who said she is able “to put things together in a way I could never imagine.” Dunaway said Hailey’s father, George Hailey, Jr. is in the Air Force but was unable to attend the event because he is stationed in Florida.
All proceeds from the event went to the Surry County School System’s Educational Foundation, which was created by a group of local business leaders who wanted to invest in children’s education because they believe the future of the economy of the area is in the hands of the youth.
The foundation will help students to pursue higher education through scholarships and will also give teachers a chance to explore professional development opportunities. For more information about the foundation or to make a donation, contact Melissa White, Education Foundation Liason, at 336-386-8211.
ArtsWOW Award Recipients
N.C. Elementary Honors Chorus students — Pilot Mountain Elementary: Landon Barnes, Attilah Fant, Jacob Gates, and Isabella Hooker; Cedar Ridge Elementary: Anna Cockerham and Ashley Hunsucker; Franklin Elementary: Chloe Easter; Rockford Elementary: Madison Goins; Dobson Elementary: Abigail Johnson, Brooke Mosley, Abigail Nina, Cara Scott, and Riley Stanley; Shoals Elementary: Olivia Martin and Cheyenne Tilley; Copeland Elementary: Peyton Martel; Westfield Elmentary: Michael Senter; Mountain Park Elementary: Bailey White
N.C. Middle School Honors Chorus — Central Middle: Lydia Atkins, Carter Graham, Holly Lewis, and Bryson Moody; Gentry Middle School: Jonathan Dalton, Destiny Martin, Katherine Parsons, and Will Whitaker; Pilot Mountain Middle: Daphne Dotson
N.C. All-State Honors Chorus — Meadowview Middle: Nakota Chandler, Lexis Collins, Emily Edwards, Delaney Morgan; Central Middle: Kaitlyn Crews, Hailey Robertson, Anna Senter, Faith White; Pilot Mountain Middle: Daphne Dotson, Mitchell Edwards, Emily Grenier, Abby Key; Gentry Middle: Hannah Gates, Emma Haynes, Haley Keck, and Lucas McMillan
N.C. High School Honors Chorus — Surry Central: Chase Graham
N.C. High School All-State Honors Chorus — Surry Central: Damon Atkins, Hugh Atkinson, Jordan Fulk, and Casey Whitt; North Surry: Austin Beasley, Brooklyn Bowman, Elijah Bryant, and Keely Hodges
Mars Hill College Choral Clinic — North Surry: Becky Brewer, Cole Gentry, Katlin Sias, Anthony Tate, and Rona Dizon; Surry Central: Alex Fowler, Chase Graham, Courtney Hegler, Brittany Kornburst, and Heather Lewis
Surry Middle School Honors Band, First Chair — Gentry Middle: Caleb Cooke, Zack Eaton, and Ethan Moats; Central Middle: Kaitlyn Dodson, Savannah Dollyhigh, Kalen Dunn, Blake Flinchum, Emma Hernandez, and Samantha Norman; Meadowview Middle: Matthew Gabbey; Pilot Mountain Middle: Nikolas Soetermans
Surry High School Honors Band, First Chair — East Surry: Jacob Chattin, Samuel Faries, Jerry Galloway, Marc Magaraci, Ben Ruedisueli, and Meagan Soetermans; Surry Central: Halee Coe, Michael Haynes, Cassidy Hyde, Andrew Mills, and Isaac Pyaat; North Surry: Avery Pike and Courtney Wiles
Northwest N.C. High School All-District Band — North Surry: Avery Pike
Central Middle Winterguard — Bailey Badgett, Morrison Berrier, Macy Carter, Emma Childress, Kaitlyn Dodson, Lara Esme, Maison Garland, Maryasia George, Sami Hanahan, Abigail Harden, Elizabeth Hernandez, Mallori Hopper, MyKinnia Jarvis, Hannah MacMillen, Amber Moser, Becca Neal, Samantha Norman, Jaden O’Neal, Alliyah Parker, Katelynn Shinault, Leigha Stanley, Rebecca Swaim, Laken White, Breonna Workman, and Ashley Worley
Surry Central High Winterguard — Katelynn Badgett, Kari Barnes, McKayla Creed, Cheyebbe Crosby, Kristen Crosby, Sabrina Dixon, Griselda Galan, Casey Haller, Ally Hanahan, Cassidy Hyde, Farrah Lowe, and Meaghan Weber
NCTAE Technical Theatre Award — North Surry: Michael Bowman
2-Dimensional Art Awards:
K-2nd grade — 1st place: Kaylyn Pozo of Rockford Elem.; 2nd place: Ryan Jordan of Mountain Park Elem.; 3rd place: Taylor Heath of Dobson Elem.
3rd-5th grade — 1st place: Sydni Smith of Flat Rock Elem.; 2nd place: Cherokee Sexton of Flat Rock Elem.; 3rd place: Illiana Saavedra of Flat Rock Elem.
6th-8th grade — 1st place: Hannah Beasley of Central Middle; 2nd place: Edi Nixon of Central Middle; 3rd place: Dakota Mills of Central Middle
3-Dimensional Art Awards:
K-2nd grade — 1st place: Thomas and Charlie Crumpton of Central Middle; 2nd place: Noah Lambert of Mountain Park Elem.; 3rd place: Isabella Pucket of Flat Rock Elem.
3rd-5th grade — 1st place: Drake Cruise of Pilot Mountain Elem.; 2nd place: Emma Vernon of Flat Rock Elem.; 3rd place: Carissa Jarrell of Rockford Elem.
6th-8th grade — 1st place: Katie Brooks of Central Middle; 2nd place: Gabriella Hailey of Central Middle; 3rd place: Brooklyn Snow of Central Middle
9th-12th grade — 1st place: Heather Key of Surry Central; 2nd place: Kayla Riska of North Surry; 3rd place: Kenyon Shore of North Surry
Digital Media Awards:
3rd-5th grade — 1st place: Anna Cockerham of Cedar Ridge Elem.; 2nd place: Edwin Hernandez of Westfield Elem.; 3rd place: Maidelin Sonato of Dobson Elem.
6th-8th grade — 1st place: Isabel Saavedra of Meadowview Middle; 2nd place: Grant Whittington of Gentry Middle; 3rd place: Isaac Bryant of Gentry Middle
9th-12th grade — 1st place: Gaitlin Hiatt of North Surry; 2nd place: Heather Key of Surry Central; 2nd place: Kayla Riska of North Surry; 3rd place: Taylor Joyce of East Surry
Drawing Awards:
9th-12th grade — 1st place: Molly Martin of North Surry; 2nd place: Heather Key of Surry Central; 3rd place: Kenyan Shore of North Surry; 3rd place: Kacey Beamer of North Surry
Painting Awards:
9th-12th grade — 1st place: Hanna Goins of North Surry; 2nd place: Kenyon Shore of North Surry; 2nd place: Lorena Cabera of Surry Central; 3rd place: Kimberly Lawson of East Surry
Mixed Media Awards:
9th-12th grade — 1st place: Molly Martin of North Surry; 2nd place: Kacey Beamer of North Surry; 3rd place: Theresa Cole of Surry Central
Reach Jessica Johnson jessicajohnson@civitasmedia or 719-1933.
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