Arts Council Announces 2021 Shawnee Mission School District Shooting Stars Finalists

The Arts Council of Johnson County (ACJC) has announced 19 students from the Shawnee Mission School District as finalists in the 2021 Shooting Star Awards program.

These students were nominated by their arts teachers for this recognition and are in consideration to be awarded scholarships for their work this spring. The Shooting Stars program is offered by the council to promote the positive impact arts education has on our students by honoring achievement in the literary, performing, and visual arts. Award recipients will be announced at the Shooting Stars Gala on April 18. As finalists, the students will audition or submit a portfolio of work for review by judges in their artistic category.

Here is a list of the 2021 Shawnee Mission School District finalists:

Theatre Performance

Seneca Sims, nominated by Mark Swezey, Shawnee Mission South HS

Caroline Kuhlman, nominaated by Brian Cappello, Shawnee Mission East HS

Jeremy Clephen Taylor, nominated by Chris Palmer, Shawnee Mission North HS

Production & Design

Ruth Long nominated by Ben Bartlett, Shawnee Mission North HS

2D Visual Art

Evelyn Goering nominated by Stephanie Dalley, Shawnee Mission North HS

Bethany Allison, nominated by Jill Oliver, Shawnee Mission South HS

Arianna Allen, nominated by Melissa Terryberry, Shawnee Mission Northwest HS

Emilia Gibbs, nominated by Adam Finkelston, Shawnee Mission East HS

Brianna Bona, nominated by Doug Catloth, Shawnee Mission West HS

Vance Lor, nominated by Elijah Schraad, Shawnee Mission West HS

3D Visual Art

Sienna Sun, nominated by Adam Finkelston, Shawnee Mission East HS

Riley Peters, nominated by Cortney Dougherty, Shawnee Mission South HS

Evangeline Ellingsworth, nominated by Chandra Beadleston, Shawnee Mission North HS

Literature

Maria Heath, nominated by Caroline Ewing, Shawnee Mission South HS

Mackenzie Clevenger, nominated by Amy Anderson, Shawnee Mission East HS

Photography

Maura Dayton, nominated by Kimberly Ruttan, Shawnee Mission Northwest HS

Grace Strongman, nominated by Adam Finkelston, Shawnee Mission East HS

Winds & Percussion

Jay Selzer, nominated by Steve Adams, Shawnee Mission South

Peder Thomas, nominated by Ann Snead, Shawnee Mission Northwest