PASCO, WA - On Friday, February 16, judges will be at Columbia Basin College (CBC) in Pasco to determine which pieces of art by high school students will receive the Judge's Choice award at the 45th Annual Regional High School Art Show. The annual art show, to be hung for display at the CBC Gjerde Center the afternoon of February 15, represents the outstanding talent of high school artists from school districts across Southeast Washington. The exhibit normally includes over 500 pieces of art -- the largest regional show in the state.
Columbia Basin College and Educational Service District (ESD) 123 host the art show every year to celebrate student art. An award ceremony honoring the top Judge's Choice, Honorable Mention, and Superintendent's Choice awards will take place at 6 PM on Wednesday, February 28 at the Gjerde Center. The art will be on display in the Gjerde Center until March 2.
To further honor students at the February 28 award ceremony, four lucky junior and senior students will receive scholarships from Central Washington University (CWU). Faculty of the CWU Department of Art will award three $1,000 scholarships and one $2,000 scholarship to students at the ceremony. The scholarships will remain eligible until the student's first year of college at CWU, regardless of the major of study chosen. CWU has implemented these scholarships throughout all ESD Art Shows across the state and will continue these awards annually in support of young artists.
Gregg Schlanger, CWU Art Department Chair, says choosing just four students to receive scholarships has been a difficult task with such enormous talent on display.
"We are honored to recognize these talented young artists who are already showing such promise," Schlanger said.
Students whose artworks are selected as Judge's Choice winners and are approved for sale will advance on to the state competition in Olympia in April. Both the art exhibit and February 28 award ceremony are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Molly Curtiss, ESD Communication & Graphics Coordinator, at 509.544.5787 or mcurtiss@esd123.org.
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About ESD 123: Educational Service District 123, based in Pasco, WA, is one of nine ESDs in Washington. Dedicated to delivering collaborative solutions that promote learning, ESD 123 serves 23 school districts in seven counties of Southeastern Washington. Under Superintendent Darcy Weisner and its board of directors, this legislatively mandated, not-for-profit educational organization provides efficiency of educational systems and equity of learning opportunities for over 70,000 Washington students. For more information about ESD 123, please call 509-544-5700 or 888-547-8441 or visit www.esd123.org.