The West Texas Regional 2023 Scholastic Art Competition is currently on display on the Wayland Baptist University campus.  

The exhibit, which features more than 300 art pieces created by kids in grades 7 to 12 from across the area, is on display at the Abraham Art Gallery.  

Those interested can view the exhibit anytime starting Monday through Feb. 4. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 2-5 p.m.  

An opening reception is scheduled for Sunday afternoon in the atrium from 1-3 p.m. There will be refreshments. The reception is open to everyone.  

This year’s entries include a mix of mediums like photography, sculpture, paint and much more.  

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“The work of the young artists in the West Texas Region is always amazing,” said Candace Keller, West Texas Regional Director of the art contest.  

Keller, who is also the curator and director of art for WBU, the Abraham Art Gallery and the Museum of the Llano Estacado, has worked with the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Competition to hose this event for more than 20 years. WBU’s Department of Art and the Plainview Cultural Arts Council, Inc. are regional sponsors.  

The art gallery is located in the atrium level of the WBU Learning Resource Center library of the Plainview campus. 

These young artists were recognized with awards this year.  

American Vision Award Nominees:  

Denver City High School: Jose Franco 

Frenship High School: Holden Halsted 

Lubbock Senior High School: Evynn Martin 

Lubbock Senior High School: Jailyn Robinson (2) 

Gold Key Awards  

These artists will move on to the National Scholastic Art Competition in New York. Winners could be eligible for further publication, scholarship grants, cash, honor awards and/or participation in the National Scholastic Exhibition. 

Byron Martin Advanced Tech Center: Isabella Aranda; Elizabeth Buckberry; Araeya Johnson 

Coronado High School: Alana Love; James Deleon; Ashley Huskey 

Denver City High School: Abigail Avila (2); Nicole Ford; Jose Franco (3; 1 AV); Madisyn Woosley 

Estacado High School: Sara Garza 

Evans Middle School: Natalia Mendoza; Victoria Rodriguez 

Frenship High School: Sarah Locke; Madison Jerome; Addison Northcutt; Isabelle Flores (2); Adela Ochoa (2); Zachary Phaosoung; Saige Castaneda; Holden Halsted (3; 1 AV); Trinity Harding (3); Andrea Ireland; Shelby Miller (2); Chloe Morales; Lillian Baier; Colton Davis; Calli Flournoy; Samantha James; Amoriah Sepulbeda 

Frenship Middle School: Seanna Guseman 

Heritage Middle School: Mila Ferrer; Max Hazelwood; Briar Justus; Maliyah Varela 

Hutchinson Middle School: Caitlyn Auer (4); Roshni Banda (2); Maddie Barnes (2); Caeylan Corley; Brayden Gauna; Ian Jeffreys; Khloe Johnson (2); Edgar Martinez; Reese Rains; Lincoln Scheppler; Abigail Flores; Sofia Gamez Molina; Bella Moreno; Jase Ramos; Milo Ring; Veronica Surowiec; Emma Volchenkov 

Kingdom Preparatory Academy: Isaiah Baier; Kara Hawthorne 

Levelland High School: Ryeton Mcmahan; Zavier Rogers 

Lockney High School: Jayton Criswell; Nathan Vasquez 

Lubbock Christian High School: Colby Matzner (3); Hailey Williams 

Lubbock-Cooper High School: Koltyn Arledge (2); Phillip Cleveland (2); Hailee Elliott; Merideth Weddle (2); Pyper Yardley; Mia Goldston; Collier Leech; Jazlynn Villegas 

Lubbock Senior High School: Echo Ancell; Brigit Anderson; Rylee Chagoya; Shirley Chen; Briggs Hilliard; Evynn Martin (2; 1 AV); Jailyn Robinson (2; 2 AV); Diana Castro; Mckenna Frandsen; Abriana Garcia; Matthew Guzman; Emerie Herrera; Madeline Layton 

Monterey Senior High School: Elena Lucero; Emmerson Martin; Luzmaria Palacios 

Plainview High School: Emily Vida (2) 

Ralls High School: Nathaniel Castro; Ashley Pina; Gracie Sawyer 

Sudan High School: Addisyn Harrell 

Talkington School for Young Women: Janessa Delgado; Anna Rees; Leona Betteridge 

Terra Vista Middle School: Brittany Kite; Caleb Wheeler 
 
 

Silver Key Awards 

Byron Martin Advanced Tech Center: Samuel Castellano; Makennah Gatica (2); Sabrina Hernandez; Megan Herrera; Sarah Seale 

Coronado High School: Hayden Wentzel 

Denver City High School: Angel Bustillos; Yanibel Carrasco; Jose Franco (3); Jose Gutierrez 

Frenship High School: J’lyn Escamilla; Samantha James (2); Infinity Lindeman (2); Marliegh Nabonne; Maria Ortiz; Kevin Vega; Chloe Wall; Katie Zint; Avery Augesen; Gabriella Ortiz; Avry Ahedo 

Frenship Middle School: Isabelle Guitierrez; Brealyn Lowe; Justin Banks; Arika Bibbs; Cole Stuart 

Heritage Middle School: Laila Cooke; Briar Justus; Tessa Lewis (2); Kade Matus; Embry Renfrow; Audri Stern; Macie Winnett 

Hutchinson Middle School: Caitlyn Auer (3); Stacy Dzygun; Caelan Gary; Juliuz Garza; Zaniya Gauna; Caden Johnson (2); Khloe Johnson (3); Zoey Lopez; Edgar Martinez (2); Rylan Meadows; Faith Medrano; Maggie Spalding; Khloe Valdez; Colter Wade; Kaison Anthony; Eric Chen; Carlie Lopez; Milo Ring 

Kingdom Preparatory Academy: Kara Hawthorne (2); Caleb Poe; Naomi Sell (2) 

Levelland High School: Mia Kuhlers 

Lockney High School: Niki Cantu; Jackson Mullican 

Lubbock Christian High School: Colby Matzner (2) 

Lubbock-Cooper High School: Koltyn Arledge; Phillip Cleveland; Hailee Elliott; Macy Mullins; Nathaneal Carranza; Miguel Piccio; Hope Douglass; Magean Thomas; Sienna Bueno 

Lubbock Senior High School: Phoebe DuBose; Matthew Guzman; Shelly Brown 

Monterey Senior High School: Hayley Flores; Alexis Gonzales; Savannah Casarez 

Olton Junior High School: Aliliana Zermeno 

Ralls High School: Audrey Delossantos 

Sudan High School: Lexi Jennings; Kyleigh Thomas 

Talkington School for Young Women: Natalie Partain 

Terra Vista Middle School: Yaiden Chico-holgui 

Honorable Mention Awards 

Coronado High School: Shamara Oliver-trout 

Denver City High School: Gabrielle Carter; Taylor Scott; Madisyn Woosley (2) 

Estacado High School: Ja’ Kayla Estelle; Zoey Vasquez 

Evans Middle School: Sarah Walsh 

Frenship High School:  Zoey Watson; Abigail Cutshall; Bailey Kenyon; Samantha James; Kaitlyn Lamkin (2); Lily Sparks (2); Addy Buescher; Mikayla Dawkins; Calli Flournoy; Emery Hernandez; Caedence Keesee-zeman; Xaedyn Lopez; Michael Maddox; Abriel Mata; Landri Mulloy; Isabella Verastegui  

Frenship Middle School: Michaelyn Becknal; Meadow Sides; Seanna Guseman; Daniel Kotze; Justin Ponsford; Kylee Rudder; Serenity Wimberly 

Heritage Middle School: Kason Hall; Adelyn Justus (2); Kade Matus; Ezayah Oliva; Laurianne Prichonnet 

Hutchinson Middle School: Caitlyn Auer; Paige Brackeen; Rico Caballero; Lauren Cardenas; Alannah Flacy; Oliver Doty; Sofia Gamez (2); Caelan Gary; Zaniya Gauna; LilyAnna Gomez; Khloe Johnson (2); Joahathan Marroquin; Edgar Martinez (4); Addisyn Moser; Khloe Padilla; Addison Parum; Lishan Prado; Rami Sharif; Maggie Spalding; Dallas Trevino; Colter Wade; EmBree Wilson; Kendall Chaffin; Abigail Flores; Sofia Gamez Molina; Autumn Whisenhunt (2); Cuzarri Jackson 

Kingdom Preparatory Academy: Naomi Sell; Lilly Vazquez 

Levelland High School: Eleana Duran; Angelique Ochoa 

Lockney High School: Niki Cantu; Mijoy Pedroza; Elijah Sotogonzalez 

Lubbock Christian High School: Colby Matzner (2) 

Lubbock-Cooper High School: Leah Bryant; Hailee Elliott; Macy Mullins (2); Yazmin Montiel; Preslee Bohannon; Miya Francis 

Lubbock Senior High School: Matthew Montanez; Lamar Samarkandi 

Monterey Senior High School: Markeisha Bolanos; Alejandro Herrera; Kaylea Moore; Kathryn Patzig 

Olton Junior High School: Aliliana Zermeno 

Plainview High School: Danyelle Davis 

Sudan High School: Oscar Aguilar; Charlie Phillips; Kyleigh Thomas; Kenzie Valdez 

Talkington School for Young Women: Ruby Ceja; Lucy Peterson 

Terra Vista Middle School: Jordyn Dickens; Gabrielle Henson