photo by: Emma Delk
Local middle schoolers gathered with their art teachers at Main Street Bank to celebrate their artistic talents alongside collecting a $50 gift card and a mini billboard displaying their work. Back row from left, Warwood Middle School teacher Heather Earnest, Bridge Street Middle School teacher Sarah Jones, Triadelphia Middle School teacher Cindy Stahanczyk, Wheeling Middle School teacher Scott Hughes, Cameron Middle School teacher Amanda Genree, Brooke Middle School teacher Lindsey Zeigoer and Main Street Bank President Rich Lucas. Front row from left, Warwood student Jayden Graf, Bridge Street student Alexa Shaw, Triadelphia student Ashton Diehl, Wheeling Middle student Alayna Huner, Cameron student Rylee Boughan and Brooke student Ember Clever.
As billboards displaying their drawings go up across the Ohio Valley, local middle schoolers got to collect some cash, courtesy of Main Street Bank, for conveying holiday spirit on their canvas.
Sixteen students from eight local middle schools were selected by their art teacher as a finalist in Main Street Bank’s Christmas Billboard Contest. Each received a $50 gift card and Symphony on Ice tickets for their efforts.
The eight students who won the contest now get to see their art displayed on a billboard in their locality, spreading holiday cheer to all who drive by. As they collected their check and mini billboards displaying their drawing on Thursday, Main Street Bank President Rich Lucas encouraged the kids to head out to their billboard and take a photo under their work.
“The drawings look fantastic on the full-sized billboards,” said Lucas. “You’ll notice them if you’re driving this holiday season. They are really well done.”
While he was thrilled to congratulate the young artists, Lucas acknowledged their art teachers had “already done the hard part” of deciding who from their students would win. For their efforts in fostering young artistry, each middle school art teacher received a $500 donation to their program for participating.
With no limit to what the students can draw as long as it’s within Christmas theming, students’ billboards include depictions of Santa handing out gifts, reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh and stockings hanging over a fireplace.
Triadelphia Middle School student Ashton Diehl was inspired to draw a Christmas-themed gnome wishing viewers a “Merry Christmas” because his mom loved a similar picture he gifted her last year. While his mom inspired the drawing, Diehl credited his skills with the brush to his great-grandma.
“My great-grandma was a painter, and that’s what she did most of her life,” said Diehl. “I feel like most of her talent went to me, so I want to thank her for that.”
While Diehl has decided to spend his gift card on “whatever comes his way” this Christmas, his art teacher, Cindy Stahanczyk, already has plans to use the new money in her budget to buy “bigger and better supplies” for her students.
“It’s wonderful to have the support of the Main Street Bank to further the art education of students in Ohio County,” said Stahanczyk. “We are so appreciative of this additional money that helps us make student dreams come true.”
Bridge Street Middle School art teacher Sarah Jones also has plans to spend the donation on supplies, with “everything, particularly paint and paint brushes” on her radar. The teacher commended the skills of the winner she chose, Alexa Shaw, as her “very clean and very inspirational” drawing was a clear champion to her.
Crediting her inspiration to a snow globe her little sister drew, Shaw explained she expanded upon the concept of a snow globe by depicting clear ornaments, each containing winter wonderland-themed scenes inside. On what she will spend her new Christmas cash on, Shaw is keeping it simple with plans to get a new blanket.
