Creativity and artistry are often overlooked within academic spaces, but they are just as important as adding numbers and memorizing chemical compositions. Blue Valley helps to provide opportunities for the painters, writers and artists at our school to get the recognition they deserve.
Seniors Kaitlyn Mize and Daniel Cheon are such students who have a passion for art and have found an outlet through competitions.
Mize’s knowledge and interest in these opportunities to showcase her art came from encouragement from one of her teachers.
“The first [competition] I was put in, I didn’t even realize it until after I had already been submitted,” she said. “After that, it was kind of a fun way to show my art.”
Cheon’s interest in art, however, started early, stemming from the colorful, captivating shows he tuned into as a kid.
“When I was young, I started watching cartoons, and the visual aesthetic and the colors, and the designs kind of hooked me,” he said. “That got me more into the arts, and then I started exploring from there.”
Cheon continued his creative hobbies in high school, participating in the multitude of artistic classes Blue Valley offers, from Ceramics to Photography to Jewelry. His talents got him noticed, and he was similarly inspired to enter the competitions.
“My teacher encouraged me because it looks good to colleges,” he said. “Just getting to see all the other people’s amazing art, and challenging myself to push the meaning and my technique [also intrigued me].”
Through these competitions, Mize and Cheon have won awards and earned recognition for their work and determination in the arts.
“I’ve won four honorable mentions from Scholastics, one Gold Key, and one runner-up award from Congressional,” Cheon said.
Similarly, Mize has gained acclaim through her work.
“I competed in the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition. Last year, I had four pieces, and I got three
Silver Keys and one honorable mention,” Mize said. “I have also competed in the district, one at CAPS and The Future of Art Competition.”
These opportunities have allowed both Mize and Cheon to express their abilities in ways they can grow and learn from.
“I didn’t necessarily mean or want to win anything,” Mize said. “It’s just something where I could show my art and also have an opportunity to see other people’s art.”
