By Mark Carpenter-
Adams County residents turned out in large numbers on Wednesday, March 27 to support the 2019 All-County Arts and Music Festival held at West Union High School.
Featuring artistic and literary works as well as choir and band performances, the festival spotlights the creative efforts of students from all four county schools.
Literature students shared their poetry and short stories, Beta Club members staged live literary scenes, and an enormous art show in the school’s gymnasium featured both two and three-dimensional student art works.
Professional photographer and educator Meredith Ward was Guest Artist for the event.
A graduate of Peebles High School and former festival participant, Ward specializes in wedding and senior photography. Her candid, unposed images are described as “emotive and organic”.
She praised the festival as a venue where students’ creativity and passion can come alive through art.
“I always loved taking part in this festival” she told the Defender. “I think it’s so important to have this focus on art because students needs a creative outlet and they need to know we’re supportive of their drive and passion for creativity.”
Guest band conductor for the evening was the world-renowned marching band music composer James Swearingen.
WUHS music teacher, Carl Schneider said Swearingen’s participation in the event was a “once in a lifetime opportunity for local students to work with a real-life, highly successful composer”.
“I’ve been teaching for over 30 years and using Jim Swearingen’s music,” Schneider said. “He is probably the most famous composer of band music in the world, and it’s fun to have someone so famous in the music world come here to share his skill with our kids.”
The Joan Wittenmyer McCoy Memorial Art Awards and the John and Tim Lewis Memorial Scholarships were also presented.
Students receiving the Wittenmyer McCoy award for 2D art projects included: First Place – Kaitlyn Cooley, WUHS; Second Place – Gracie Roades, NAHS; Third Place – Madison Taylor, WUHS; and Honorable Mention – Alanna Morrison, NAHS; Kaylee Godwin, WUHS; and Breanna O’Connell, WUHS.
Students receiving the Wittenmyer McCoy award for 3D art projects were: First Place – Kyle Lightner, PHS; Second Place – Felicity Haag, MHS; Third Place – Breanna O’Connell, MHS; and Honorable Mention – Carrie Rider, PHS; Emma Geeslin, NAHS; Sarah Laxton, PHS.
Recipients of the John and Tim Lewis Memorial Scholarships were Jerilyn Garrett and Gracie Roades.
Judges for the Memorial Art Awards included Connie Barrett, Mary Braun, and Virginia K. Hess.
The festival is organized and coordinated by teacher Janice Day.
She says planning for the event begins as soon as the the festival ends.
“We regroup and talk about what went right and what we need to change,” says Day. “But, the real work is done by our teachers and students. We hope this event gives our students a chance to shine by sharing their work with others.”
Approximately 300 students from the four county schools participated in the event: 24 students contributed poetry and short stories, 47 students performed with the band, 59 students performed with the choir, and in the visual arts category 150 students contributed art work in a wide variety of mediums and genres.
Recipients of creative arts awards from other venues and competitions were: Manchester High School National Art Honor Society winners Breanna O’Connell, Madison Young, Felicity Haag, Braxlynn McClanahan, Nate Peterson, and Hannah Bundy; the ORVAG Art Show at Cox Gallery in Maysville, Ky. featuring Felicity Haag, Braxlynn McClanahan, Katie Mefford, and Breanna O’Connell; and National Beta Art section winners Billie Kinhalt and Breanna O’Connell.
Also contributing to the evening’s success were members of the Adams County Arts Council Board: Betsy Miskell – President, Davina Cooper – Vice President, Elaine Lafferty – Secretary, and Mary Jane Campbell – Treasurer.
