Get Your Brushes On: Great Valley Launches Student Art Recognition Program

MALVERN, PA — The 2021-22 school year will bring a chance for student artists in Great Valley School District to get creative, show their stuff, and compete for artistic recognition.

A new art competition program will be open to students in grades 5, 8, and 12, years the mark them leaving elementary status, middle school years, and high school. GVSD student artists can develop their creative skills, display their exceptional art projects, and enter an actual art competition beginning in the 2021-22 school year as part of the annual SOAR Program.

SOAR stands for Students' Opportunity for Artist Recognition.

In partnership with the district's art teachers, the Great Valley School District Education Foundation created the SOAR Program to shine a light on the talents of the district’s art students. All students who enter the competition will have their art displayed in their home schools.

To encourage wider participation by students, the program will mirror an actual art competition, including a Call for Entries, a theme, parameters for the product and a juried selection process by a well-known artist from the community.

The outside artist will select one student from each elementary school's fifth grade, two students from the eighth grade, and two students from the 12th grade. Those students who are honored will have their works framed and exhibited in the District Office.

As an award, the students will receive a selection of art materials appropriate to their medium and age — or a gift card — as well as a framed certificate and publication in the School District and Education Foundation media. The honored students will also have their works exhibited in the GVSD Art Show at the High School.

Aware that art is sometimes less recognized as an integral part of the total student experience, art teachers will promote the program directly to their students, the Great Valley Education Foundation explained.

Great Valley High School art teacher Sheila Startup said, "I am so excited to honor and recognize the hard work and creativity in our students. It is especially important to understand how important the arts have been to many of our students over the past years, seeing them through a rough time in their lives with the pandemic."

"Having the Foundation support our efforts validates and uplifts the students in ways individual art teachers may not be able to do. I look forward to sharing this with our community and seeing how it truly takes a village to raise a child," Startup added.

Startup explained the merits of the program. She said, "At every level, this is a win-win for the student who participates. It not only teaches them self-discipline in making art but in keeping to a schedule and producing for a theme. They will understand the process of having a juried show from an outside artist. They will get a glimpse into what it means to be an artist and to put yourself out there. Of course, it will be wonderful to add to your college applications but on the personal level, the student can’t help but grow from the process. In addition to creating the work, they will write an artist statement addressing their ideas and their process in creating the work."

All the art teachers at the high school will be involved, as they all teach different subjects. Startup primarily teachers digital media and photography. Jessica Stanhagen is the primary 2D teacher and has been involved in the process from the beginning. She will probably see the most students participate, said Startup.

"We are getting ready to launch it but the middle school has launched and they are getting a great response! We will push this out on Oct. 4 to our seniors," she explained.

"This is a strong senior class artistically and I expect a high turnout with participation. It will be amazing to see the gallery grow every year. We are so grateful to the Foundation for their support of the arts. We always knew it was so important to mental health but really see it in the trying times we are living in. So many students drop their shoulders and relax when they enter the art rooms!"

"Art at GVSD has created its own heritage that will be part of SOAR. "I am also very excited to have a former student who is an amazing artist be the first juror for the program. I feel like this is a 'full circle' moment," Startup told Patch.

A reception for awarded students, their families, art teachers, and judges is being planned for some time in June. Award winners' artwork will be displayed at this event. The artists will talk about their projects, the Foundation said.

The mission of the Great Valley School District Education Foundation is to enrich the total student experience in the Great Valley School District, as a community partner, by funding special projects and programs.

The purpose of the SOAR program is to encourage and award students' innovative ideas through art integrated with the educational experience.

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