CHS has a wide variety of students, including students who are crazy about art. One contest that Concord has and is participating in is Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.
According to scholastic.com, “The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards offer early recognition of creative teenagers and scholarship opportunities for graduating high-school seniors,”
The art department chair, Bob Bieber, coordinates much of the process of getting ready to turn in hundreds of student’s projects.
“It’s hard to choose pieces, and sometimes we have to stop and re-look at pictures that we’ve already said yes to,” Bieber said.
Each student is allowed to send in 5 original pieces.
“Scholastic pieces must be picked this week [7-11], and turned in by the 16th,” Brandon Kurtz (art teacher) said, “we send them to scholastic on the 18th.”
Students can receive three different awards; Honorable Mention, Silver Key, or Gold Key. Kurtz, our own art teacher, received awards from his artwork.
“When I was in High School, I participated in Scholastic a lot, and received one gold key, which went to nationals, two silver, and three honorable mentions,” Kurtz said.
Though Scholastic is a wonderful opportunity for students, according to Bieber, it is also a time-consuming project for the teachers.
“Scholastic entries are due in January,” Bieber said, “and it’s difficult because I have many intro classes in January, and their pieces are not worthy of competition.”
Students can choose to turn in their artwork, though sometimes the teacher can recommend that they turn one in.
“The entire process is very competitive; many students won’t even get a mention,” Kurtz said.
Students can choose to turn in their artwork, though sometimes the teacher can recommend that they turn one in.
“Bieber has been telling the entire art staff that we need to be strict in which pictures we pick, because we cannot turn in art projects that are done by pictures on the intranet,” Kurtz said.
Even so, students can turn in their original artwork and receive awards.
“As long as the students show a good understanding and shows good skills [in computer graphics], then they’ll enter pieces and sometimes win,” Kevin Keltner (art teacher) said.
However, many pieces are entered into the contest, and thousands are on display for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.
“Everyone, students, faculty, and parents should all go and look at the art that is put on display during Scholastic,” Bieber said.
Students can turn in projects from the year before, but it’s difficult to hold a piece that long without “forgetting, damaging, or losing the project” according to Bieber.
“It’s a good corporation because it allows everyone to be more aware of the beautiful art that is being made right in their very school.” Bieber said.
The art pieces will be returned to their creators within two weeks after they have turned them in.
“It’s a lot of work just to get everything together and turned in, but the overall results is amazing,” Bieber said.