The 53rd Annual Hawaii Regional Scholastic Art Awards

The Hawaii Regional Scholastic Art Awards recognizes young artists across the nation in different categories of art. Artwork that has been submitted is first judged on a statewide level- and given a ranking of “Silver Key” or “Gold Key”. The artwork that has been awarded “Gold Key” in the state is then judged on a national level. Kalani High School has four winners on the statewide level- Angelina Shi, Chantal Nagelmann, Kelsey Lei and Weylin Pada. These four artists, and many more, were recognized at The Hawaii State Art Museum on February 20th, 2016.

The museum set up an exhibit specifically for the winners of this contest upstairs past the Diamond Head exhibition. In the exhibit, the artists who won for their work were able to sign their names on a giant chalkboard to further recognize the students across the states. Past that, the student artwork is displayed on the walls. There are photographs, paintings, drawings, sculptures, collages and even clothes on display. This display will be open until April 15th.

During the award ceremony outside in the courtyard, guest speakers and others came up to talk about the importance of art. “I’ve been to ceremonies that celebrate academic excellence. I’ve been to ceremonies that celebrate athletic excellence. But this ceremony is special because it celebrates artistic excellence. Art is a huge part of the fabric of our community,” said the host of the ceremony. The Waipahu High School Slam Poetry Club performed various poems, showcasing another important artform. They performed poems about stereotypes, having dreams, the expectations of being a teenager, and the increasing use of technology in our society.

After the slam poetry performance, the students who won were called up to be recognized. Other students were given separate awards for their exceptional work in art, and some seniors were given scholarship money.

The Scholastic Art Awards gives students the opportunity to showcase their talents and skills. The purpose of this contest was to show the creative side found in today’s youth from all over the nation. Congratulations to Chantal Nagelmann, Angelina Shi, Weylin Pada and Kelsey Lei for winning and representing Kalani at the Hawaii State Art Museum.