2009 Nebraska Young Artist Award winners announced

The Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has announced the winners of the 12th annual Nebraska Young Artist awards.

Sixty-one students from more than 35 high schools across the state have been selected to participate in the special day of activities April 2 at UNL. The awards annually recognize 11th-grade students who are gifted and talented in the areas of visual art, dance, music and theater. 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 135 students across the state. Fine and performing arts faculty chose the award winners.

Honored students will take tours of the arts facilities, attend classes, and meet faculty and college students. Their parents will also be invited, and they will also take tours and 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 Museum of Art auditorium at 3:30 p.m. Students will receive a certificate, as well as a very special original piece of artwork commissioned for this event and created by a Department of Art and Art History printmaking student.

2009 Nebraska Young Artist Award winners alphabetically by high school:

Ainsworth: Tessa Jacobsen, music; Kayla Klammer, theater.

Bancroft-Rosalie: Hannah Niemeyer, visual art.

Bellevue East: Traelon Graham, theater; Fernando Montejano, theater; Chinsu Pak, music.

Bennington: Kelsey Arp, music.

Elmwood-Murdock: Ross Mumford, music.

Fillmore Central: Nicole Rosenquist, theater.

Fremont: Demi Jacobsen, music; Emmily Petersen, visual art; Ryne Sorensen, theater.

Fullerton: Brittany Ridder, visual art.

Grand Island Northwest: Kali Ramsey, music.

Hastings: Ilsy Garcia, visual art.

Home schooled: Alyssa Harrington, Denton, dance.

Laurel-Concord: Brianna Johnson, visual art.

Lincoln Arts and Humanities Focus: Claire Guthrie, dance.

Lincoln Christian: Lynn Wells, music.

Lincoln East: Hannah Sher, dance; Rylie Wyman, music.

Lincoln High: Keaton Croxen, theater; Lauren Eastman, theater; Richard Eiesloffel, theater; Dillon Irwin, theater; Phoebe Perry, theater; Parker Spracklen, theater; Francesca Torquati, theater; Nate Yound, theater.

Lincoln North Star: Taylor Cobb, music.

Lincoln Southeast: Nancy Ganz, dance.

Lincoln Southwest: Maren Finsand, music; Julia Peterson, music; Chris Way, music; Wyn Wiley, music.

Millard North: Tim Grady, music; Cynthia Liu, music; Katy Weak, music.

Millard South: Joseph Weber, music.

Millard West: Aileen Lee, music.

Minden: Rachel Schnoor, music; Laynee Woodward, music.

North Loup-Scotia: Kaitlin Mattison, music.

North Platte: Vivian Kim, dance; Nicki Windham, dance.

Ogallala: Jake Geisert, theater.

Omaha Central: Jose Gonzalez, visual art; Chelsey Hill, music; Eric Jizba, music; Victor Phifer, visual art; Brooke Talbot, visual art.

Orchard: Ashley Meyer, visual art.

Papillion-LaVista South: Kim Mueller, visual art.

Pawnee City: Christian Farwell, visual art; Rachel Valenziano, visual art.

Plattsmouth: Tessa Harnetiaux, theater.

Sandhills: Brett Barnes, visual art.

Shickley: Stacey O'Neal, visual art.

Wahoo Neumann: Christina Albin, visual art.

Winside: Dominique Gowler, music.

Yutan: Jordan Zauha, theater.