Students competed in the Visual Art Scholastic Event which is run by Texas Art Education Association in February through the beginning of June. This is an art competition where students are interviewed on the process and why they chose to create the artwork they submitted. Students then receive feedback and a grade from 1 to 4. Four being the best and one the lowest.

“So when we are competing as a school individual it’s working as a whole lot,” art teacher Baryn Shepherd said. “Like, when we have one kid go it’s a huge accomplishment when there are that many kids that you’re up against.”

From the entire state, around 30,000 students compete throughout February to May. All competitors go through an interview process where they explain each of their pieces and their backgrounds.

“I think it’s nice you get to actually talk to the actual people. Last year, we didn’t get to do interviews,” Junior Ezra Steward said.

With transitioning from a post-COVID-19 world to back to in-person competitions. The competition accepted both virtual and physical art pieces.

“We were supposed to be back in person last year, but somebody at the regional level decided that it was a bad idea for some reason and a lot of kids were hurt because we were not in person,” Mrs. Shepherd said.

Competitors are ranked from one through four divisions with one being the lowest level of art experience and four the highest level, which includes AP art as well as first-year art students and students who have taken art for every year of high school. For each year a student has an art credit is how they are disrupted through the divisions and will compete in.

“I’ve gone online for two years and in person for one time,” Senior Sabine Wicker said. “When I went in person I had a really great experience.

Each art piece uses mediums such as colored pencil, chalk pastels, mixed media, watercolor or pastel paper.

“For the last two years it’s been virtual and this is going to be the first time I’m ever going to actually go physically to the competition and talk about my art piece,” Senior Barak Geary said.