STAFF REPORTS
Eight Hays High School art students have qualified to compete at this year’s state VASE competition at University of Houston-Clear Lake City. They include (back, left to right) Helena Wessely, Eric Leija, Jeff Mendoza, Mariah Meza; (front, left to right) Sarah Yager, Gaby Buentello, Hillary Gee and Caragh Givens. (Photo by Jim Cullen)
Fifteen local high school students have qualified for state competition at the April 9-10 State Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE), to be held on the University of Houston-Clear Lake City campus. Eight Hays High School students and seven from Lehman High represent the outstanding showing at the recent San Marcos qualifying meet.
Headed to the prestigious state meet from Hays High are Gaby Buentello, Hillary Gee, Eric Leija, Jeff Mendoza, Mariah Meza, Sarah Yager, Caragh Givens and Helena Wessely. Lehman High will be represented by Jared Rodriguez, Josh Martinez, Christian Guajardo, Abigail Schwandt, Sarah Bee, Devon Smith and Amanda Garcia.
Both the Hays and Lehman contingents at the two-tiered San Marcos meet received a slew of Regional “4’s,” the competition’s “gold” standard. Those were then judged in an Area round to determine those entries that would advance to state. Some art students scored 4’s in multiple categories.
Lehman Art teacher Debra Flynn and Hays High’s Marnie Hart had the lion’s share of high-scoring students and both expressed pride in the outstanding showing. This was a common sentiment among art teachers that included Jeanne Stewart at Lehman and Dan Niendorff, Starr Cruz and Diana Debrock at Hays.
Lehman High School qualifiers to next month’s state VASE competition include (back, left to right) Jared Rodriguez, Josh Martinez, Christian Guajardo; (front, left to right) Abigail Schwandt, Sarah Bee, Devon Smith and Amanda Garcia. (Photo by Debra Flyn)
“It shows that our students are confident and ready to defend and represent their work with a judge,” Flynn said, adding, “It also shows that our students are taking that extra step to finish work in a way that is exceptional and impressive.”
Hays High School (overall results)
Drawing and painting students receiving 4’s include Aaron Amin (2), Kristen Bjornson, Rachel Bostick, Gaby Buentello (2, one advances), Stephanie Diaz, Hillary Gee (2, one advances), Caragh Givens (advances), Jinsu Jaimy, Kately Kelsey, Eric Leija (advances), Jeff Mendoza (advances), Mark Oldham, Maria Rebollar, Samantha Scarborough, Caty Snoeberger, Patti Swanson (2), Parker Thornton, Helena Wessely (advances), Sarah Yager (advances).
Diana Debrock’s ceramics students include Gabrielle Gonzales (2) and Keely Haas. Art 1 and Electronics Media teacher Starr Cruz’s students scoring 4’s included Luis Beltran, Cynthia Vanhatter, Katie Messer, Rachel Harvey, Christopher Taylor. Dan Niendorff’s photography students scoring 4’s included Emily Clark, Matt Espinosa, Laina Gonzales, Aysia Lopez, Mariah Meza (2, one advances), Mazie Pettigrew, Christian Shirrell, Kristen Whittington (2) and Juliana Wilson.
Lehman High School (overall results)
Photography 4’s went to Gwyn Wilkerson (2), Sarah Reeves, Eric Guerrero (2), Ashley McCain, Abigail Schwandt (advances), Tina Wait, Jeremiah Flynn (2), Abigail Martin, Josh Martinez (2, one advances), Garrett Mayfield (2), Kristina Mallen (2), Julio Santos, Jared Rodriguez (2, one advances), Michel Lippe, Jerian Delano, Lena Weise, Sarah Bee (advances), Amanda Garcia (advances).
Drawing and painting 4’s were won by Anissa Gamez (2), Sabrina Cortez, Donald Schiwitz, Nabor Garcia, Lauren Lumague, Samantha Deen (2), Tyler McCain, Taylor Chrysley, Eugene Jared, Tina Wait, Abigail Martin, Marilyn Villazana (2), Christian Guajardo (2, one advances), Devon Smith (2, one advances), Michael Lippe, Jerian Delano, Annalicia Baranovicht, Gabrielle Morgan, Karyn Robinson and Eires Moriarity.
Students taking 4’s in animation included Sarah Reeves, Daniel Vargas, Luis Amaya, David Hebert and Matt Robledo. Students competing in sculpture scoring 4’s included Daniel Vargas, Tyler McCain, Gabrielle Morgan, Michelle Williamson (2) and Pretty Vo (2).
