On March 22, ESD 112 rolled out the virtual red carpet for the 2023 Southwest Washington Regional High School Art Show. Hosted on YouTube, ESD 112 Superintendent Tim Merlino and Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Superintendent Chris Reykdal welcomed guests to this year’s virtual event. Viewers had a chance to see award-winning pieces in addition to hearing from participating artists.

“Student participants demonstrated exceptional skill, originality, and emotion in their work,” said Tim Merlino, superintendent of ESD 112. “The Regional High School Art Show is a testament to the fact that art and creative expression are instrumental in the education and development of young people.”

Winners of the Regional Awards will compete against entries from around Washington State in the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Art Show, celebrating 50 years of the annual student art competition, taking place on May 30 at Benaroya Hall in downtown Seattle.

In addition to the recognition from ESD 112, all student artists who were recognized with an award in this year’s Art Show also received scholarships from the Department of Art + Design at Central Washington University, and/or Pacific Northwest College of Art.

Click here to see the gallery of all participants. Student artists who received awards and/or scholarships are listed below.

Regional Awards

These fifteen pieces received the highest average scores from the judges and will represent the Southwest region in the Annual State Superintendent of Public Instruction Art Show in Olympia.

  • Finn Henwood, “Grasp”, Hockinson High School, Hockinson School District
  • Sam Angelo, “Stuffed”, Henrietta Lacks Health & Bioscience High School, Evergreen Public Schools
  • Lennox Blodgett, “perceived”, Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Vancouver Public Schools
  • Hannah Kim, “The man”, Camas High School, Camas School District
  • Sarah Warner, “Dial It Up”, Kelso High School, Kelso School District
  • Jason Tran, “Quicksilver”, Kelso High School, Kelso School District
  • Hayden Labenske-Obbink, “Portrait of Grandmother”, River HomeLink, Battle Ground Public Schools
  • Hailey Smith, “Green Girl”, Kelso High School, Kelso School District
  • Taryn Mckay, “sHE’S A REBEL”, Kelso High School, Kelso School District
  • Paige Frawley, “Spring”, Camas High School, Camas School District
  • Elizabeth Ruff, “Loki”, Kelso High School, Kelso School District
  • Briseis Howard, “steel”, Columbia High School, White Salmon Valley School District
  • Jason Freeman, “Runaway Marbles”, Woodland High School, Woodland Public Schools
  • Amelia Andraschko, “Fem-Masc”, Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield School District
  • Valencia Hernandez, “Endangered Hummingbirds”, Mark Morris High School, Longview Public Schools

ESD 112 Awards

These seventeen pieces were rated very highly by the judges in the four judging categories (originality, composition, emotion and technique).

  • Julianna Wolfram, ”Reflection”, Henrietta Lacks Health & Bioscience High School, Evergreen Public Schools
  • Yana Yunikov, “My Friend”, Heritage High School, Evergreen Public Schools
  • Leyna Graves, “Loss of Childhood”, Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield School District
  • Luis Trejo, “Remember”, Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Vancouver Public Schools
  • Cambren Williams, “Dreamer”, River HomeLink, Battle Ground Public Schools
  • Mallory Woodward, “Tranquility”, Camas High School, Camas School District
  • Krysta Mattus, “Winter Portrait”, Kelso High School, Kelso School District
  • Emily Ackerman, “Skull”, River HomeLink, Battle Ground Public Schools
  • Paige Stepaniuk, “Large Fruit Bowl”, Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield School District
  • Magda Wyrzykowska, “’All Tied Up’”, Woodland High School, Woodland Public Schools
  • Emiliana Newell, “Snowy Day”, Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield School District
  • Ashley Huff, “Falling into the Unknown”, Woodland High School, Woodland Public Schools
  • Nia Matthews, “Despair”, Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Vancouver Public Schools
  • Caige Sothern, “pushed and pulled until you tear and burn”, Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield School District
  • Halle Lawson, “Rylee”, Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield School District
  • Kaylee Kirkelie, “Kaylee Rain”, Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield School District
  • Nikki Opryatova, “A Battle Once Lost and Won”, Heritage High School, Evergreen Public Schools

Honorable Mentions

These 20 pieces were also rated very highly by the judges.

  • Vanessa Quintero, “past and Present”, Evergreen High School, Evergreen Public Schools
  • Nicole Lambert, “Premonition”, Camas High School, Camas School District
  • Mattilyn Reudink, “A Dancers Emotion”, Heritage High School, Evergreen Public Schools
  • Thy Nguyen, “Queen’s Grief”, Evergreen High School, Evergreen Public Schools
  • Kimberlyn Aldous, “Takis”, Evergreen High School, Evergreen Public Schools
  • Lorelei Marinescu, “Life in the City”, Prairie High School, Battle Ground Public Schools
  • Josh Zimmerman, “Poppies”, Prairie High School, Battle Ground Public Schools
  • Jessica Aylesworth, “Blame It All On My Roots”, Castle Rock High School, Castle Rock School District
  • Anna Demchukov, “Pumpkins”, River HomeLink, Battle Ground Public Schools
  • Brooklynn Hoss, “The Dreamer”, River HomeLink, Battle Ground Public Schools
  • Claudia Gipson, “Patched”, Kelso High School, Kelso School District
  • Kailee Kuanoni, “Aloha, from Almighty Hawaii”, Castle Rock High School, Castle Rock School District
  • Andrew Gordon, “shadows of golden hour”, Heritage High School, Evergreen Public Schools
  • Yoselin Sanchez-Bueno, “Nobody’s Clown”, Kelso High School, Kelso School District
  • Josie Settle, “Blooming in Rain or Shine”, Kelso High School, Kelso School District
  • Curtis Smith, “Waiting for Inspiration”, Woodland High School, Woodland Public Schools
  • Tegean Pringle, “Fake Reality”, Woodland High School, Woodland Public Schools
  • Lillyann Lovingfoss, “Steve”, Mark Morris High School, Longview Public Schools
  • Adara Grieco, “My Peaceful Dreams”, Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield School District
  • Malcolm Chapel, “Good News”, Hockinson High School, Hockinson School District

Special Awards

"Waiting For Inspiration" by Curtis Smith, 10th grade at Woodland

ESD 112 Choice Award

This award is chosen by the staff at ESD 112. The winning piece is purchased for permanent display in the ESD building.

  • Curtis Smith, “Waiting For Inspiration”, Woodland High School, Woodland Public Schools

The Department of Art + Design at Central Washington University Scholarship Awards

The Department of Art + Design at Central Washington University is happy to award scholarships in the amount of $2,000 towards future enrollment.

  • Finn Henwood, “Grasp”, Hockinson High School, Hockinson School District
  • Lennox Blodgett, “perceived”, Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Vancouver Public Schools
  • Mallory Woodward, “Tranquility”, Camas High School, Camas School District
  • Sarah Warner, “Dial It Up”, Kelso High School, Kelso School District
  • Emily Ackerman, “Skull”, River HomeLink, Battle Ground Public Schools
  • Ashley Huff, “Falling into the Unknown”, Woodland High School, Woodland Public Schools
  • Kaylee Kirkelie, “Kaylee Rain”, Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield School District
  • Amelia Andraschko, “Fem-Masc”, Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield School District

Pacific Northwest College of Art Scholarship Awards

Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) is happy to award scholarships in the following amounts, for each designated category:

Regional Award Recipients: 9th and 10th graders will receive $100 Scholarships toward PNCA Pre-College Programs. 11th and 12th graders will receive $3,000 Art Excellence Scholarships, renewable for 4 years, towards future enrollment.

ESD 112 Award Recipients: 9th and 10th graders will receive $100 Scholarships toward PNCA Pre-College Programs. 11th and 12th graders will receive $3,000 Art Excellence Scholarships, renewable for 4 years, towards future enrollment.

ESD 112 Staff Choice Award: The recipient will receive a $3,000 PNCA Art Excellence Scholarship, renewable for 4 years, towards future enrollment.

Honorable Mentions: 9th and 10th will receive $100 Scholarships toward PNCA Pre-College Programs. 11th and 12th graders will receive $1,000 Art Excellence Scholarships, renewable for 4 years, towards future enrollment.

ESD 112 is thankful to the Art + Design Department at Central Washington University and Pacific Northwest College of Art for their generous scholarships, and continued support of the Southwest Washington Regional High School Art Show.

You can watch the Virtual Award Show, which includes this year’s award-winning pieces, in addition to hearing from participating artists: 2023 Southwest Washington Regional High School Art Show Presentation >