Parker School student artists celebrated several wins for their works in advance of Youth Art Month — a yearly event observed each March. According to the National Art Education Association’s website, YAM is designed “to emphasize the value of art education for all children and to encourage support for quality school art programs” and is administered by the Council for Art Education, the NAEA and state affiliates such as the Hawaii Art Education Association.
Parker School student artists celebrated several wins for their works in advance of Youth Art Month — a yearly event observed each March. According to the National Art Education Association’s website, YAM is designed “to emphasize the value of art education for all children and to encourage support for quality school art programs” and is administered by the Council for Art Education, the NAEA and state affiliates such as the Hawaii Art Education Association.
Parker seventh-grader Nate Biondi earned third place in the YAM flag design competition. Juniors Mariko Langevin, Kanoe Schutte and Zhou Hongjin (Rin) and senior Erika Hannon all entered photographs that have been selected for display at the Hawaii State Capitol this month. Langevin’s entry, a self-portrait, was selected by the judges as “best in show” in her age category. The four Parker students were in the top 100 selected for the exhibit, out of nearly 1,000 entries.
“Of those 100, 10 were selected as the top 10 works to represent the state of Hawaii at the NAEA conference in New York City next month,” Parker School art teacher Heidi Buscher said. “Our very own Mariko Langevin represents Parker School, the Big Island and the state of Hawaii as one of the top 10.”
Langevin was also named a semifinalist in the Congressional Art Competition for her photograph, “Waterboy,” as was classmate Brieannah Gouveiah for her photograph, “Man and Nature.” Thirteen semifinalists were chosen from the state, and Langevin and Gouveiah were the only two selected from the Big Island. The winner for the competition will be announced at an awards reception at the state Capitol, and will have his work hung in Washington, D.C. for the year.
“These kids just keep outdoing themselves year after year,” Buscher said. “I am so proud that for the second year in a row we have young Parker School artists representing the Big Island at the state and national levels in the YAM show, the Congressional semifinals, and in the YAM top 10.”
For more information, visit parkerschool.net.