Celebrate The West

We're proud to announce the winners in the inaugural Western Governors’ Association Celebrate the West regional art competition, which challenged high school students to create two-dimensional artwork inspired by their state. 

More than 200 entries from the 17 WGA member states, as well as artwork from American Samoa and Guam, arrived by the deadline for the competition sponsored by the Western Governors’ Association.

Celebrate the West® is a registered trademark of the Western Governors’ Association.

While all the entries were terrific, Shayla Bowen of Clear Springs High School in League City, Texas, proved to be the big winner. Shayla's True Grit, a detailed work in charcoal, won the Grand Prize ($1,000) and was voted Best of Show ($200) by attendees at our 2016 Annual Meeting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Second Place ($500) went to Kaitlyn Haught of Hooker High School in Guymon, Oklahoma, for her colored pencil work, Cutting Horse. Christie Wildcat of Riverton High School in Riverton, Wyoming, took Third Place ($300) for Straight Dancer, which combined fused glass and mixed media.

You can see all of the winning works in the slideshow above, see below for the complete list of winners. 

Grand Prize, Best of Show
Texas: Shayla Bowen of Clear Springs High School in League City. True Grit (charcoal)

Second Place
Oklahoma: Kaitlyn Haught of Hooker High School in Guymon. Cutting Horse (colored pencil)

Third Place
Wyoming: Christie Wildcat of Riverton High School in Riverton. Straight Dancer (fused glass/ mixed media)

State Winners

• Alaska: Katie Banks of Kodiak High School in Kodiak. Snatched (water color)
• American Samoa: Sinapapa Taylor of Fagaitua High School in Pago Pago. Half n' Half (Ink, colored pencil, marker, watercolor)
• Arizona: Stephanie Franco of Kofa High School in Gadsen. Saguaro (acrylic paint)
• California: Jenna Skiff of Mission College Preparatory Catholic High School in Cayucos. Half Dome, Half Paper (paper magazine collage)
• Colorado: Josie Evans of Evangelical Christian Academy in Colorado Springs. Rocky Mountain Dreams (acrylic paint and marker)
• Guam: Sherry Nichole Magno of Simon A. Sanchez High School in Barrigada. A Walk Through the Culture (acrylic paint)
• Hawaii: Caroline Feng of Punahou School in Kailua. Humuhumunukunukuapuaa (marker and ink)
• Idaho: Peter Eberle of Boise High School in Boise. Behind the Western Sunset (digital painting)
• Kansas: Caitlyn Nation of Shawnee Mission West High School in Overland Park. Deanna Rose (watercolor)
• Montana: Sophia Therriault of Hellgate High School in Missoula. Missoula Valley (oil paint)
• Nebraska: Mega Quast of York High School in York. Deer in the Corn (acrylic paint)
• Nevada: Rhea Schaller of Boulder City High School in Boulder City. Neon Museum (tempera paint)
• New Mexico: Xena Gurule of Del Norte High School in Albuquerque. The Blue Door (acrylic paint)
• North Dakota: Kayla Hettwer of Devils Lake High School in Devils Lake, N.D. Inner Wolf (colored pencil)
• Oregon: Caleb Jacobson of Riverdale High School in Portland. Opal Creek Cabin, Jawbone Flats (pen and ink)
• South Dakota: Camryn Bird of New Technology High School in Sioux Falls. Just Hangin' Out (acrylic paint)
• Utah: Rachel McCain of Layton High School in Clearfield. Life on a Cattle Farm (acrylic paint)
• Washington: Jieun Lee of Mt. Tahoma High School in Lakewood. Rainbow (digital)

“Celebrate the West” is open to high school students from Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming. 

See the 2017 winners

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