67 Students Selected for Nebraska Young Artists Awards

Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 13, 2004 -- The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts has announced the winners of the seventh annual Nebraska Young Artist Awards.

Sixty-seven students from more than 35 high schools across the state have been selected to participate in the special day of activities at UNL on April 7. The awards recognize 11th-grade students who are gifted and talented in the areas of visual art, dance, music and theatre. These students exemplify the pinnacles of creativity in one of the fine and performing arts.

Students applied for the recognition and submitted an example of their work. Applications were received from more than 160 students across the state. Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts faculty chose the students who will come to UNL to be recognized.

Honored students will take tours of the arts facilities, attend classes, meet faculty and college students, and have lunch. Their parents will also be invited, and they will also take tours, as well as receive information on careers in the arts and college curriculum.

Students selected to participate in the Nebraska Young Artist Awards will also be asked to nominate the teacher who provided them with the greatest amount of mentoring and support in the development of their special talents.

The day will conclude with an awards ceremony in the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery auditorium at 3 p.m. Students will receive a certificate and an original piece of artwork commissioned for this event made by a printmaking student in the UNL Department of Art and Art History.

Following is an alphabetical-by-hometown list of students who will receive Nebraska Young Artist awards. Information includes the student's artistic area. The name of the high school is included in parentheses if it differs from that of the hometown.

Ainsworth: Jennifer Schelm, music; Taylor Weichman, theatre.

Atkinson: Amanda McClanahan (West Holt), visual art.

Bellevue: Tara O'Dell (West), theatre.

Deshler: Brianna Dutton, music; Ross Hunter (Bruning-Davenport), music; Jordan Pohlmann, music.

Columbus: Crystal Modde (Scotus), visual art.

Deweese: Jessica Kohmetscher (Sandy Creek), music.

DeWitt: Cari Tietjen (Tri County), theatre.

Elba: Melissa Wells, visual art.

Fairfield: Pamela Woods (Sandy Creek), music.

Fremont: Sara Reimnitz, music; Samantha Renner, music; Misaki Tsuchiyama, dance.

Fullerton: Tracy Sonderup, visual art.

Geneva: Courtney Hejny (Fillmore Central), theatre.

Grand Island: Emily Griess (Northwest), music; Matthew Schultz (Northwest), music.

Hastings: Devin O'Connell (Adams Central), music; Sarah Song, visual art.

Juniata: Ashley Colburn (Adams Central), music.

Kimball: Kyle Perry, music.

Lewellen: Sabrina Miller (Garden County), music.

Lincoln: Heidi Bartlett (Waverly), visual art; Emily Bulling (Northeast), dance; Lauren Cook (Southwest), music; Pierre-Emile Duhamel (East), theatre and music; Ashley Durst (Lincoln High), dance; Trevor Eno (Southeast), visual art; Allison Frenzel (Lincoln High), music; Jordan Grandjean (Southeast), music; Kelly Hiskey (Northeast), dance; Thao Le (Northeast), visual art; Anish Mitra (East), music; Molly Pearson (Lincoln High), theatre; Benjiman Pettiford (Pius X), music; Yue Wu (East), music.

North Platte: Kent Livingston, theatre.

Ogallala: Patrick Brueggeman, theatre.

Omaha: Dan Crane (Central), visual art; Alex Daniels (Central), visual art; Brittany Gillett (Burke), music; Jillian Goodman (Westside), music; Robbie Gordy (Millard South), theatre; Katelyn Gyhra (Millard North), music; Andrew Holm (Millard North), music; Katie Langenfeld (Millard South), music; Jessica Marcum (Central), visual art; Ellen Mickle (Central), visual art; Katie Okrina (Central), visual art; Katlin Peterson (Central), visual art; Danielle Steube (Bryan), theatre; Maggie Svoboda (Northwest), visual art; Stephanie Tompsett (Northwest), visual art; Anna Vacha (Central), visual art and dance; Melia West (Millard North), visual art.

Orchard: Sarah Hansen (Verdigre), visual art.

Overton: Betsy Bals, visual art; Matt Davenport, visual art.

Seward: Katie Karel, theatre; Kjersten Langewisch (Lincoln Lutheran), visual art; Joseph Steinauer, dance.

Shickley: Katie Lichti, music.

Stanton: Nick Reese, music.

Waverly: Rachel Ward, dance.

West Point: Jason Franzluebbers (Central Catholic), theatre.

CONTACT: Kathe Andersen, Hixson-Lied College of Fine & Performing Arts, (402) 472-9355