Twelve student artists from Great Bend USD 428 have been selected to showcase their work at the Kansas Art Education Association (KAEA) Youth Art Month exhibition in Topeka. Running from Feb. 24 through March 28 at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, the display features top-tier student work from across the state.

This is the third year USD 428 has participated in the program. Students were selected by their instructors based on both artistic excellence and exemplary classroom citizenship.

Award Recognition

The district is proud to announce that student Marlowe Beugelsdijk, 6th-grade Lincoln Elementary, has already been named a winner of the “Anne & Bill Bracker 3-D Youth Art Month Award.” A sixth-grader at Lincoln Elementary, her fiber entry is titled, “Thinking Cap.” While her achievement is confirmed, the specific award level (1st, 2nd, or 3rd place) will be officially revealed during the artist’s reception on March 28.

As judging for various categories occurs at different intervals throughout the month, additional honors for USD 428 students may be announced at a later date.

The 12 participating students represent the elementary, middle, and high school levels. The initiative is led by elementary art teacher Shannon Wedel, with support from fellow art faculty members, Caleb Bartlett (Elementary Art), Pamela Williams (Great Bend Middle School), Sergio Ramirez, and Anna Popp (Great Bend High School).

“We are incredibly proud of these students for not only their creativity but for the character they show in our classrooms every day,” said Shannon Wedel. “Seeing Great Bend represented at the state level is a testament to the talent in our community.”

Featured students and their schools are Alesy Prieto, Eisenhower; Jahir Rodriguez, Eisenhower; Ryder Reed, Jefferson; Jinxuan Lin, Jefferson; Marlowe Beugelsdijk, Lincoln; Denton Howard, Lincoln; Conrad Langer, Park; Abbygale, Naerebout, Park; Diego Alonzo, Riley; Juan Taylor, Riley; Kendra Leon, GBMS; and Camilla McQuade, GBHS.

Mediums includes mixed media, collage, oil pastel, fibers, watercolor, colored pencil, chalk pastel, and lowfire stoneware clay & glaze.