PILOT MOUNTAIN — The third annual Arts WOW! event delivered on its promise as an audience of hundreds gathered at Pilot Mountain Middle School to celebrate student arts talent.

“This is a huge event for us,” said Jennifer Scott, director of Professional Development for the Surry County School System. Scott explained that the event started five years ago and has grown every year. This year’s contest featured more than 300 pieces of two- and three-dimensional art, digital media and photography. Scott said that six local judges representing various fields of art judge on pre-designed, specific criteria.

“This is a celebration of the talents our students have,” added Scott. “We teach students that the arts connect us. It binds us as humans. Students work hard in core curriculum but in the arts, too. Sometimes art is where their passions lie.”

“Theater arts teach basic life skills and interpersonal skills,” said Master of Ceremonies Dr. Jeff Tunstall, director of student accountability and technology for the Surry County School System. He explained theater can allow participants to safely take chances that young students would normally fear by being someone else on stage. Later in the program Tunstall told the audience that “only those dedicated to excellence can make music.”

The Pilot Mountain Middle Jazz Band Showcase opened the evening’s program with musical selections that included “The Escalator Blues” and “Take the A Train.” Nick Joyce and Andrew King of Westfield Elementary sang a rousing song titled “March of Martin Luther King.”

“The Star Spangled Banner” was performed by selected SCS elementary students and Mahoghany Moore on recorder and Wilson Smith, pianist, in addition to students Samantha Cook of Flat Rock, Amy Hinson of Mountain Park, Evann Shelnutt of Cedar ridge and Karsyn Tucker of Franklin.

The Surry students selected for the NC Elementary State Honors Chorus, with flutist Brianna McGuire, sang “The Drinking Gourd.” And “Bonse Aba” was performed by the students who made NC Middle School Honors/All State Chorus. “Gloria” was sung by the selected Surry students for NC High School Honors/All-State Chorus, who were treated to a standing ovation after performing “I’ll Stand.”

Gentry Middle School’s Drama Club presented the prologue “Tradition” from Fiddler on the Roof, Jr. and the Surry Big Band performed “Band Stand Boogie” in honor of the late Dick Clark. The audience also viewed a performance video of the award winning Surry Central/Central Middle Winter Guard Teams.

The Superintendent’s Award was given to Jessica Doby. Winners by category in visual arts announced at the event were:

K-2 Two Dimensional

Honorable Mention: Mason Hicks, Franklin.

Third place:Nancy Garcia Villa, Dobson.

Second place: Juan Vazquez, Rockford.

First place: Jacob Edmonds, Rockford.

3-5 Two Dimensional

Honorable Mention: T.J. Atkins, Rockford.

Third place: Jenna Simpson, Rockford.

Second place: Abby Padgett, Flat Rock.

First place: Alexis Craddock, White Plains.

6-8 Two Dimensional

Honorable mention: Haley Beeson and Dilan Lorenzo, Pilot Mountain Middle School.

Third place: Taylor Hall, Central Middle School.

Second place: Hannah Rapisardi, Meadowview Middle School.

First place: Joana Ramirez, Central Middle School.

9-12 Two Dimensional

Honorable mention: Jose Rico, North Surry High School.

Third place: Nina Johnson, East Surry High School.

Second place Gabriela Vasquez, SCHS.

First place, Kaden Leonard, SCHS.

K-2 Three Dimensional

Honorable mention: Kayla Hodges, Dobson.

Third place: Kimberly Gomez-Godinez, Dobson.

Second place: Jennifer Vega-Ramirez, Copeland.

First place: Adisyn Coleman, Pilot Mountain Elementary.

3-5 Three Dimensional

Honorable mention: Luke Holder, Cedar Ridge.

Second place (tie): Emma Bullin, Copeland and Allison Tucker, Rockford.

First place: Draken Cruise, Pilot Mountain Elementary.

6-8 Three Dimensional

Honorable mention: Summer Pierce, Pilot Mountain Middle School.

Honorable mention: Cidney Fulk, Meadowview Middle School.

Third place: Leslie Belmonte, Central Middle School.

Second place: Autumn Collins, Pilot Mountain Middle School.

First place: Kristen Bowman, Meadowview Middle School.

9-12 Three Dimensional

Honorable mention: Nathan Newman, SCHS.

Third place: Kolina Marsh, SCHS.

Second place: Dallas Hartley, ESHS.

First place: Savannah Holt, NSHS.

3-5 Digital Media and Photography

Honorable mention: Carrington Dobson, Westfield.

Third place: Duncan Carter, Rockford.

Second place: Callie Edmonds, Rockford.

First place: Alyssa Custer, Shoals.

6-8 Digital media and Photography

Honorable mention: Madison Meadows, Gentry.

Third place: Melissa Presley, MMS.

Second place: Drew Beamer, MMS.

First place: Aashton Day, MMS.

9-12 Digital Media and Photography

Honorable mention: Cody Hull, SCHS.

Third place: Kayla Feeney, SCHS.

Tied for first, Miguel Rocha and Kendal Bledsoe both of SCHS.

A variety of honorees also were announced in chorus, band and winterguard.

NC Elementary Honors Chorus

Juliana Cooke, White Plains.

Ian Dollyhite, Westfield.

Callie Edmonds, Rockford.

Attilah Fant, Pilot Mountain.

Abby Hemric, Shoals.

Peyton Martel, Copeland.

Elizabeth Porter, Shoals.

Kennedy Snow, Westfield.

Riley Stanley, Dobson.

Cheyenne Tilley, Shoals.

Faith White, Dobson.

NC Middle School Honors Chorus

Hugh Atkinson, Central.

Adam Butcher, Gentry.

Andrew Cave, Gentry.

Carter Graham, Central.

Lucas McMillian, Gentry.

Freddy Pineda, Central.

Chase Summers, Gentry.

NC Middle School All-State Honors Chorus

Jamie Atkins, Pilot Mountain.

Lydia Atkins, Central Middle.

Hugh Atkinson, Central Middle.

Adam Butcher, Gentry.

Emma Cagle, Meadowview.

Andrew Cave, Gentry.

Daphne Dotson, Pilot Mountain.

Savanna Edwards, Pilot Mountain.

Carter Graham, Central.

Brittany Hawks, Meadowview.

Kaylen Hawks, Meadowview.

Kylie Larrabee, Meadowview.

Holly Lewis, Central.

Destiny Martin, Gentry.

Hannah Nixon, Gentry.

Ethan Oakley, Gentry.

Katherine Parsons, Gentry.

Rebecca Parsons, Gentry.

Ally Pratt, Central.

Madison Robertson, Central.

Hannah Southern, Gentry.

Chloe Willard, Pilot Mountain.

Lydia Atkins and Holly Lewis were honored for being named to the American Choral Directors Association Southern Division Honor Choir. They are both Central Middle students. Rona-Lyn Dizon of North Surry High and Chase Graham of Surry Central High were named to the NC High School Honors Chorus.

NC High School All-State Honors honorees were:

Becky Brewer, North Surry.

Brittany Kornbrust, Surry Central.

Heather Lewis, Surry Central.

Jodi Meadows, North Surry.

Salena Ruvio, Surry Central.

Kelsey Stanley, Surry Central.

Mars Hill College Choral Clinic honorees were:

Rona-Lyn Dizon, North Surry.

Chase Graham, Surry Central.

Courtney Hegler, Surry Central.

Katlin Sias, North Surry.

Anthony Tate, North Surry.

Surry Middle School Honors Band, First Chair honors went to:

Coy Barr, Central Middle.

Haley Brown, Meadowview Middle.

Taylor Coble, Gentry Middle.

Austin Critz, Gentry Middle.

Cheyenne Crosby, Central Middle.

Josh Holyfield, Central Middle.

Hali Morgan, Pilot Mountain Middle.

John Nichols, Gentry Middle.

Abryanna Smith, Gentry Middle.

Surry High School Honors Band, First Chair honorees:

Halee Coe, Surry Central.

Kirsten Crosby, Surry Central.

Jake Edwards, Surry Central.

Samuel Faries, East Surry.

Jerry Galloway, East Surry.

Cassidy Hyde, Surry Central.

Rebecca McHargue, Surry Central.

Thomas Marsh, East Surry.

Avery Pike, North Surry.

Layne Roundy, North Surry.

Courtney Wiles, North Surry.

Corbin Willard, North Surry.

Northwest NC High School All-District Band honorees:

Jacob Chattin, East Surry.

Jeremy Dixon, Surry Central.

Uriah Futch, North Surry.

Michael Haynes, Surry Central.

Central Middle Winterguard members honored were Caitlin Atkins, Bailey Badgett, Katelyn Badgett, Morrison Brendle, Macy Carter, Cheyenne Crosby, Sabrina Dixon, Kaitlyn Dodson, Picabo Eubanks, Evan France, Griselda Galan, Maryasia George, Savannah Gillespie, Samantha Hanahan, Mallori Hopper, Abigail Lambert, Amber Moser, Rebecca Neal, Samantha Norman, Courtney Stanley, Hayley Stanley, Leigha Stanley, Rebecca Swaim, Erin Weaver and Breonna Workman.

Surry Central Winterguard members honored were Kari Barnes, Kirsten Cosby, McKayla Creed, Sydney Elam, Casey Haller, Ally Hanahan, Cassidy Hyde, Farrah Lowe, Tana Nixon, Salena Ruvio, Meagan Weber and Tiffany Whitt.

Avery Pike of North Surry High was honored for advancing to the NC Governor’s School Theatre Arts Audition and the NC Technical Theatre Award went to Josh Wilmoth of North Surry.

“You have been the kindest audience,” said SCS Superintendent Dr. Ashley Hinson Jr. at the close of the program. “If you don’t celebrate what you appreciate, it will go away. We don’t get together enough to celebrate the arts.” Hinson recognized elected officials in attendance as well as parents and grandparents of students and thanked administrators and teachers for their support as well as Surry County Schools transportation and maintenance department, back stage crew members and Arts WOW! coordinators Renee Moore and Jennifer Scott.

“I thank you for celebrating and supporting our students’ talent,” added Hinson. “These talents are as important as any talent we have in this world.”

All proceeds for the event will benefit the Surry County School Educational Foundation. This foundation was created by a group of local business leaders who believe that investing in children’s education will impact the future of Surry County’s economy.

Jolo Vineyards was recognized as the first corporate sponsor for the event. Others recognized included Carolina Carports, Surry Insurance, Sheetz, Shelton Vineyards, SouthData, Burton Signworks as were Chris Heath of Accurate Insurance, Derwin Woodard, Neil Atkins and the Pilot Mountain Middle School staff, the Pilot Mountain Rescue Squad and the Pilot Mountain Middle School’s Exploring Life Skills Class.

Officials encourage the public to contribute their opinions abut the event at http://www.sjurveymonkey.com/s/2012artswow.

Reach David Broyles at dbroyles@heartlandpublications.com or 719-1952.