Nine students from the Newton Community School District currently have their artwork on display as part of the 2013 State Youth Art Month Exhibit sponsored by Art Educators of Iowa.
Kindergartener Trent Thomson; first-graders Haylie Ryan, Alex Leon, Kyra Hauber and Nate Lampe; sixth-grader Laura Wyre; and Newton Senior High School students Emily Artis, Nicky Bird, Lance Guthrie were recognized during a reception and awards ceremony held March 2 at the Iowa State Historical Building in Des Moines. There was additional recognitions for some of the student-artists.
Leon’s cardboard relief sculpture was selected for the Governor’s Show, a small exhibit of the Youth Art Month works that were displayed in Gov. Terry Branstad’s office during March. Haylie Ryan also won an additional award for excellent use of media from the Sergeant Art Company for her snowman painting.
The remaining students’ art has been on display at the Iowa State Historical Building in Des Moines, and will remain there through the end of the month. The exhibit, which is free and open to the public, includes artwork from more than 100 K-12 students across Iowa.
Youth Art Month is recognized nationally and most states have a celebration. Art Educators of Iowa, the professional organization for art educators in the state, has been holding this exhibit yearly as a time to celebrate and to advocate for the arts in education through the wonderful visual creations of Iowa’s students.