ROCK SPRINGS — A group of promising young artists were recognized for their talents at a presentation and reception at the Community Fine Arts Center on Wednesday, May 15th. The GFWC Woman’s Club of Rock Springs hosted the reception and presented awards to the elementary and junior high students.
The annual statewide convention for the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of Wyoming was held in Saratoga the last weekend in April with several of the local club members attending.
Each year the women honor the youth of our state by holding an art competition, bringing art from their local schools to the state convention. Independent judges are selected and rank the students’ artwork giving first, second and third place ribbons to the winners.
Ten pieces of artwork were selected to be taken to the convention by the local club. When the Youth Arts Month displays are exhibited each year at the Community Fine Arts Center, the club members pick their award winners. All ten students received a certificate of merit as well as a monetary award from the Rock Springs Woman’s Club.
Presenting the awards were Marcia Volner, club president, Leslie Jo Gatti, former club and state president, and Debora Soule, CFAC
director.
Award Winners
Two Sage Elementary students who received awards were Dominic Maldonado-Ramos, third grade, with his “Colorful Abstract” and Conner Allred, 4 th grade with his collage “Patchy Bear” along with another fourth grader, Adalyne Schweitzer from Westridge Elementary with her painting “Winter Birch Trees.”
Aubrie Stanton, fifth grader from Pilot Butte Elementary, won with her watercolor “Summer Tree” along with two sixth graders from Eastside Elementary, Ivie Schaechterle with a scratch art design “Heartbeat in my Hand” and Keirah Dean with colored marker drawing “Black Bear.”
Rock Springs Junior High student Embrie Brower, seventh grade, had her “Monochrome Pear” painting selected. Three eighth graders also received awards — Walter Molina with a print “A Scarf to Keep Him Warm,” Natalie Sleight with a colored pencil drawing “A Fishy American Gothic,” and a monochrome pumpkin painting by Dante Moreno.
In addition to all the students being local winners, four students received awards at the statewide convention in their grade levels. Winning a first place ribbons were Ivie Schaechterle and Natalie Sleight. Best of Show awards went to Adalyne Schweitzer and Aubrie Stanton.
Along with their ribbons, each student received a monetary award for their efforts. The Sweetwater County School District #1 art teachers who have encouraged these students are Amanda Romero, Jacob Harkins, Jamie Rodgers, Irene Osborne, Donna Audevart, Christine Pruett, and Halli Riskus.
“These young artists put their best effort into their work and we are happy to recognize and hopefully encourage them to continue doing their best,” said club president Marcia Volner. “The Rock Springs Woman’s Club is committed to recognizing the talents of the youth of our community.”
For more information about the community efforts of the Rock Springs Woman’s Club, contact Marcia Volner, club president.
