The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts has announced the 57 winners of the 25th annual Nebraska Young Artist Awards.
The awards recognize 11th-grade students from Nebraska for their talents in visual art, dance, music, theatre, and film and emerging media arts.
Fifty-seven students from more than 30 high schools across the state have been selected as award winners.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the day of activities originally scheduled for April 6 has been rescheduled and spaced out. Students and families will join faculty and students on campus in smaller groups between March 25 and April 6. Visiting students will tour arts facilities, participate in a workshop with Husker faculty and watch current Husker students at work.
The schedule is:
March 25: dance
April 4: emerging media arts, theatre, visual arts
April 6: music
“We are excited to bring students and families back to campus for our 25th year of the Nebraska Young Artist Awards,” said Chris Watson, director of recruitment for the college and coordinator of the awards. “Our faculty are looking forward to meeting and working with these young artists in person. This is the perfect event for celebrating the self-expression and connection that everyone needs right now.”
Students applied for the recognition and submitted an example of their work. Applications were received from 116 students. Hixson-Lied College faculty chose the winners.
Award winners were also asked to nominate the teacher who provided them with the greatest amount of mentoring and support in the development of their special talents.
Students will receive a certificate and an original piece of artwork commissioned for the event and created by a School of Art, Art History and Design printmaking student.
Following is a list of award winners by hometown, with their high school and specialty area(s).
Beaver City: Kolby Hunt, Southern Valley, emerging media arts
Bloomfield: Piper Dather, Crofton, visual arts
Boys Town: Maggie Costello, Boys Town, visual arts
Cozad: Elle Pollat, Cozad, dance; Madelyn Spaulding, Cozad, dance
Dakota City: Niraphone Malavong, South Sioux City, dance
David City: Natalie Kovar, Aquinas Catholic, visual arts
Dodge: Sophia Dvorak, Howells-Dodge, visual arts
Hartington: Grace Kleinschmit, Hartington Cedar Catholic, theatre arts; Meredith McGregor, Hartington Cedar Catholic, music
Jackson: Karen Alvarado, Ponca, visual arts
Lincoln: Mason Apking, Lincoln Southeast, theatre arts; Hudson Beery, Lincoln Southwest, dance; Kendell Brown, Lincoln High (Arts and Humanities Focus Program), visual arts; Ava Chmelka, Pius X, dance; Hayley Corbridge, Lincoln Southwest, dance; Carmen Curtis, Arts and Humanities Focus Program, visual arts; Steven Dao, Lincoln Southwest, music; Dawson Dynek, Lincoln Southeast, music and theatre arts; Jack Ehlers, Lincoln Southeast, music; Lexie Gibson, Lincoln North Star, dance; Keely Gill, Lincoln High (Arts and Humanities Focus Program), visual arts; Semhar Hailesellassie, Lincoln High (Arts and Humanities Focus Program), music; Elizabeth Heeren, Lincoln Christian, music; Zachary Jacobsen, Lincoln East, music; Clara Kendrick, Lincoln High, music; Avery Kugler, Lincoln Southeast, theatre arts; Carmen Marley, Lincoln High, music; Vivian Ostrander, Lincoln High, music; Cassidy Patterson, Lincoln North Star, dance; Hannah Robb, Lincoln East, music; Raquel Souto, Lincoln, visual arts; Ava Strunk, Lincoln Southwest, music; Aurora Sulzle, Lincoln High, dance; Jocelyn Tisdale, Lincoln High, music; Whitney Tomes, Pius X, dance; Kristie Trinh, Lincoln High, visual arts; Anna Woodshank, Lincoln North Star, dance; Sergio Zavala, Lincoln High, visual arts
Louisville: Eva Quam, Louisville, theatre arts
McCook: Katrine Bogardus, home school/McCook, music
Norfolk: Alex Cook, Norfolk, music; Alexandra Jensen, Norfolk, music; Malori Schrader, Norfolk, dance
North Platte: Sierra Cain, North Platte, dance
Omaha: Lademi Davies, Westside, music; Samantha Glogowski, Millard South, music; Sophia Harding, Duchesne Academy, visual arts; Angelina Nowak, Skutt Catholic, visual arts; Chloe Rankin, Duchesne Academy, visual arts; Barron Whitmore II, Omaha North High Magnet, music
Orleans: Brianna Jorgenson, Southern Valley, visual arts
Plattsmouth: Addie Priefert, Conestoga, visual arts
Seward: Martin Albright, Nebraska Evangelical Lutheran, music; Karnie Gottschalk, Seward, theatre arts; Andres Lopez, Seward, music
Waco: Yinuo Xu, Nebraska Evangelical Lutheran, music
