STEVENSVILLE — Kent Island High School recently held its annual ArtScene, a fun-filled night with food trucks and live music, celebrating students’ artistic talents and works. Hundreds of students, in grades k-12, had their pieces displayed at the event.
Supervisor of Visual and Performing Arts at Queen Anne’s County Public Schools Michael Bell, and recent winner of the “2024 National Supervision & Administration Art Educator of the Year Award” by the National Art Education Association, created QACPS’ ArtScene in 2019. Bell wanted to allow students to showcase their capabilities in a fun, success-inducing environment.
The initial creation of ArtScene was a fairly streamlined process, however, uniform labeling systems had to be created to keep track of students’ artwork, and art display panels had to be bought and somehow stored in the schools. While Bell came up with the idea of a QACPS ArtScene, he gives all credit to the teachers, students, and staff for bringing his ideas to fruition.
ArtScene also hosted an award ceremony recognizing student artists in the various grade levels. Forty-five awards alone were presented to high school students for their artistic achievements. The “Silver Buccaneer” award is given to students who are considered role models, using their artistic talents to support the community. This year, it was ultimately decided that two senior students, Rain Diederichs and Lexi Harris, would be presented with the “Silver Buccaneer” award. Both award recipients were each given seventy-five dollars in Amazon gift cards.
Other student artist award winners include Georgia Hines for the “Most Involved Build,” Scott Fuller winning the “Best Wheel Thrown” pottery award, Alana Van Ornum receiving the “Best Architectural Design” award and Grace Hartlove winning the “Best Depiction of Nature” award.
ArtScene was set up by members of the high school’s National Art Honor Society (NAHS). The Kent Island NAHS hosted an induction, honor chord ceremony, and senior signing for its members at the event. Student members at Kent Island High School and Queen Anne’s County High School have received over one million dollars in scholarship offers.
Students were also awarded “gold keys,” allowing them to progress from Scholastic Art Regional competitions to compete nationally. Winners include Emily Alt, Chelsea Beatty, Darcy Bouchat, Ember Irwin, Kyla Loar, and Jackson Powell. Two students won multiple gold key awards, with Caden Crook winning three and Lexi Harris winning seven.
Rain Diederichs, a senior at Kent Island High School, started her high school art journey in Andrea Schulte’s 2D Art Studio 1. Diederichs was exempted from taking Fundamentals of Art her freshman year because she excelled in her middle school art classes. She is now president of the Kent Island National Art Honor Society and leads her fellow Art Society members. “As president of NAHS, I really try to look out for community service opportunities for our members so that the art department can give back to our community. This year I am most proud of our collaboration with Talisman Therapeutic Riding Center where we were able to supply them with art to make their program more accessible,” she said.
Diederichs also recently won the highly prestigious “2024 National Rising Star Award” presented by the National Art Education Association. The award is given to students who demonstrate superb artistic excellence and are obtaining a higher education in an art field. Diederichs will be attending the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, with plans to major in illustration. “I am incredibly excited for the future and so grateful to everyone who has helped me get to where I am now.”
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