The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts has announced the winners of the 20th annual Nebraska Young Artist Awards.
The awards annually recognize 11th-grade students from Nebraska for their talents in visual art, dance, music, theatre, and film and new media. These students exemplify the pinnacles of creativity in one of the fine and performing arts.
Fifty-three students from nearly 30 high schools across the state have been selected to participate in a special day of activities April 5 at the university.
Students applied for the recognition and submitted an example of their work. Applications were received from 126 students across the state. Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts faculty chose the winners.
Honored students will take tours of the arts facilities, attend classes, meet faculty and college students and have lunch. Their parents will be invited, and they will also take tours, as well as receive information on careers in the arts and college curriculum.
Students selected to participate in the Nebraska Young Artist Awards will also be asked to nominate the teacher who provided them with the greatest amount of mentoring and support in the development of their talents.
The day will conclude with an awards ceremony. Students will receive a certificate and an original piece of artwork commissioned for the event and created by School of Art, Art History and Design printmaking student Hannah Demma.
The following is a list by hometown of award winners, with their high school and specialty area.
Aurora: Abigail Ostdiek, Aurora, visual art.
Beaver City: Mackenna Hunt, Southern Valley, visual art.
Bellevue: Mary Johnson, Bellevue East, visual art.
Cozad: Melissa Estrada, Cozad, dance; Kaitlyn Spaulding, Cozad, dance; Aaliyah Wilkins, Cozad, dance; Hanna Wright, Cozad, dance.
Firth: Sarah DeBoer, Norris, dance.
Gretna: Naomi Young, home school, music.
Holdrege: Ashley Woosley, Holdrege, visual art.
La Vista: Riley Lampman, Papillion-La Vista, theatre arts.
Lincoln: Lillian Ball, Lincoln North Star, dance; Brynne Biles, Lincoln High, theatre arts; Karissa Boesiger, Lincoln Southwest, dance; Jack Buchanan, Lincoln High, theatre arts; Haley Cecava, home school, dance; Mackenzie Davenport, Lincoln High, theatre arts; Grace Dowd, home school, music; Peter Greff, home school, music; Emma Jewell, Lincoln East, music; Sean Lebita, Lincoln North Star, music; Jae Hyun Lim, Lincoln Southwest, music; Lily Lundine, Lincoln High, theatre arts; Chaz Maschman, Waverly, music; Leyten Morley, Lincoln North Star, dance; Annika Novotny, Lincoln High, music; Isabella Starkey, Lincoln Southeast, dance; Bailey Steinbach, Lincoln High, theatre arts; McKaylee True, Lincoln East, dance; Alex Wesslund, Lincoln North Star, dance; Anne Wiltfong, Lincoln Southwest, music.
O’Neill: Nathaniel Jennings, O’Neill, music.
Omaha: Emily Anthone, Duchesne Academy, visual art; Eloy Lopez Banderas, Omaha South Magnet, visual art; Rosario Briganti, Creighton Prep, film and new media; Alyssa Callaghan, Omaha Central, dance; Melanie Dowding, Omaha Central, visual art; Jessica Ferguson, Omaha Central, music; Jared Fitzgerald, Omaha Central, music; T.J. (Tyrone) Foster, Creighton Prep, visual art; Owen Gong, Millard West, music; Anna Greene, Westside, dance; Lauren Kucera, Papillion-La Vista, theatre arts; Marissa Mathia, home school, music; Javier Rivera, Creighton Prep, film and new media; Seth Sandoval, Creighton Prep, film and new media; Nathan Schildhauer, Papillion-La Vista, theatre arts; Caroline Unger, Millard West, dance.
Roca: Maia Ramsay, Lincoln High, visual art.
Seward: Gannon Ingalls, Shelby-Rising City, visual art.
Wahoo: Sydney Holdsworth, Wahoo, music.
Waverly: Kayla Pracht, Waverly, music; Bentley Tonniges, Waverly, music.
