Hadden Kelley wins best of show in Kiwanis art contest

ALBANY — A standing-room-only of approximately 200 students, parents, and educators filled the Willson Auditorium at the Albany Museum of Art recently to learn the results of the36th annual Kiwanis Club of Dougherty County Student Art Contest.

The contest was open to public and private middle and high schools, including home schools, in Dougherty and Lee counties. Afterward, students huddled with family and friends by their respective entries for photos and congratulations.

Two “Schools of Distinction” were announced: Albany Middle School, with teacher James Middleton, and Deerfield Windsor High School (by only two points) and teacher Donna Rouse. Appreciation was also expressed to the judges of this year’s competition: Abby Bellard, assistant professor of art, Darton College; Katie Dillard, interim curator of collections and exhibitions, Albany Museum of Art; and Chazz Williams, assistant of professor of art, Albany State University.

Kiwanis of Dougherty members were greeters to the event and served refreshments afterward.

The winners in the contest were:

Best of Show (chosen from among all entries): 1st place, Hadden Kelley, 12th grade, Deerfield Windsor High School; 2nd place, Ke’chandria Bell, 11th grade, Dougherty High School; and 3rd place, Jesse McWhorter, 12th grade, Lee County High School.

Sixth Grade: 1st place, Tristan Hatfield, Southwest Georgia Home School Association (SWGA); 2nd place, Lola Timmons, Lee County Middle School; 3rd place, Mohomed Camra, Albany Middle School; honorable mentions, D’Aris Jackson, Albany Middle School; Adrienne Daniels, Robert Cross Middle School; and Phoebe Smith, Cardinal Hills Home School Association.

Seventh Grade – 1st place, Nykeria Martin, Albany Middle School; 2nd place, Shaquille Johnson, Albany Middle School; 3rd place, Jake Herrbold, Deerfield Windsor Middle School; honorable mentions, Laura Morrisey, Deerfield Windsor Middle School; Tyrek Fuller, Albany Middle School; and Abigail Stevens, Cardinal Fields Home School.

Eighth Grade: first place, Markyus Spraggins, Radium Springs Middle School; 2nd place, Tyler Jenkins, Albany Middle School; Lawrence Russ, Southside Middle School; Keyonna Staton, Robert Cross Middle School; Madelin Conger, Lee County Middle School; and Davis Jones, Deerfield Windsor Middle School.

Ninth Grade: 1st place, Hakiria James, Dougherty High School; 2nd place, Allen Usrey, Westover High School; 3rd place, Sarah Chambliss, Deerfield Windsor High School; honorable mentions, Darneshia Hunt, Dougherty High School; Hakiria James, Dougherty High School (2).

Tenth Grade: 1st place, Jonathan Herrbold, Deerfield Windsor High School; 2nd place, Jonathan Lewis, SWGA Home School Association; 3rd place, Jonathan Herrbold, Deerfield Windsor High School; honorable mentions, Ryan Kelley, Westover High School; Yoon Seo Cha, Lee County High School; Baylee Purvis, Lee County High School; and Alexandria Michas, Deerfield Windsor High School.

Eleventh Grade: 1st place, Daniel Hogan, Lee County High School; 2nd place, Abdul Sarr, Dougherty High School; 3rd place, Montreal Wilson, Albany High School; honorable mentions, Maria Kersey, Cardinal Hills Home School; Natalie Harrison, Westover High School; Ciara Jenkins, Dougherty High School; and Raheem Thomas, Dougherty High School.

Twelfth Grade: 1st place, Hadden Kelley, Deerfield Windsor High School; 2nd place, Katherine McDonald, Westover High School; 3rd place, Morgan Dunn, Lee County High School; honorable mentions, Delaney Smith, Westover High School; Lauren Smith, Westover High School; Jasmine Taylor, Dougherty High School; Helena Augestein, Deerfield Windsor High School; Hadden Kelley, Deerfield Windsor High School; and Anysa Jackson, Albany High School.

The winning art works will remain on exhibit at the museum until the end of March and will be moved to Albany Mall for display on April 24. Elementary art works, which were not subject to judging, will be displayed at the mall beginning April 10, and the mall will host a reception for those entrants Friday afternoon, April 22.

The winning art contestants will be honored and art scholarship prizes presented at the Kiwanis Club of Dougherty County’s luncheon meeting on May 9.