Several art students in the Surry County Schools system were treated to lunch on Friday as part of the Superintendent’s Art Contest.

Students from each of the schools submitted art work for the contest to their teachers, who chose the best pieces to go on to the countywide contest. Those chosen to place in the contest were invited to lunch at Mount Airy Country Club on Friday where the winners in each category were announced.

“The arts are very important to society,” said Dr. Ashley Hinson, superintendent. “Unless we take your talents and hone those skills, you don’t really have any idea of what you can do.”

Hinson also made a surprise announcement at the luncheon, making the decision to expand the art show next year to encompass all of the arts, not just visual arts. It will include categories in singing, dancing and music as well as art with winners announced in each category. It would create a larger event that would allow the public and especially parents to be more involved in the process.

“There’s a tremendous amount of talent in this room and in all of the schools in the arts,” he said.

In this year’s art show, the students were broken up into four categories with winners in the kindergarten through second grade category, the third through fifth grade category, the sixth through eighth grade category and the ninth through 12th grade category. Each of the winners was presented with a book featuring all of the artwork chosen this year as well as what each student wrote about his or her piece. The students also received a certificate. First through third place winners also received a monetary prize. Steve Talley will also be framing all of the winning artwork to be placed on display at the Surry County Schools central office until the end of the year.

“You can see by their smiles and excitement that this is meaningful to these students,” said Hinson. “We will make sure the students continue to be recognized for their achievement in the arts.”

In the kindergarten through second grade category, Robert Tuttle, a second grader at Franklin Elementary School, won honorable mention. Sydney Beck, a second grader from Shoals Elementary School, won third place. Nicholas Lawson, a second grader from Westfield Elementary School, took home second place for his piece while Brianna Hernandez, a second grader from Franklin Elementary, won first place.

In the third through fifth grade category, Andrew Smith, a fourth grader at Franklin Elementary, and Levi Roundy, a fourth grader at Cedar Ridge Elementary School, tied for honorable mention. Sophia Massey, a third grader at Franklin Elementary, won third place while Coy Barr, a fifth grader at Mountain Park Elementary School, won second. Haley Beeson, a fifth grader at Shoals Elementary, took home first place in the category.

In the sixth through eighth grade category, Jordan O’Neal, a sixth grader at Central Middle School, and Kinley Jones, a seventh grader at Meadowview Middle School, tied for honorable mention. Gatlin Hiatt, an eighth grader at Meadowview Middle, and Taylor Mundy, a sixth grader at Meadowview Middle, tied for second place. Justice Creed, an eighth grader at Central Middle, won first place.

In the high school division, Hayley Cozart, a senior at East Surry High School, received honorable mention. Troy Jessup, a junior at East Surry High, won third place. Elizabeth Thompson, a junior at North Surry High School, won second place and Zachary Wallace, a sophomore at Surry Central High School, took home first place.

This is the second year the school system has held a superintendent’s art contest.

Contact Morgan Wall at mwall@mtairynews.com or 719-1929.