The Association of Christian Schools International, or ACSI, holds an art festival for each region of the United States each year. For the North Texas district this year, over 20 Christian Middle and Upper schools competed at the Hope Center in Plano. This year’s competition was special for two reasons: first, McKinney Christian was hosting the festival. Deidre Sickles, Upper and Middle school art teacher, and Stacy Weller, the Middle school and Lower school art teacher, planned and set up the whole event, making sure it ran smoothly.

Secondly, this year’s competition was special because each student in the Upper School portfolio art class placed in at least one category. Each of our seniors placed high in the competition. Emma Lowes placed third in 3D art, and Ella Sickles placed first in pottery and third in photography. Archer Morrow placed first in graphic design and 3D art, Bekah Gross took first in digital art, and Graham Kraft placed second in printmaking as well as color drawing. Caleb Doyle ended up placing first in the black and white drawing category as well as placing second in painting. Nick Meyer was able to take first in color drawing as well as the overall “best in show award.” As for the juniors, Joy Chiang placed third in black and white drawing, and Caleb Bryant ended up taking first in the black and white drawing category.

It was a prosperous year at ACSI, and as showcased by the numerous awards won by the MCA art program this year, all the work that the art students put in was well worth it. Right now, every student mentioned (seniors included) is already creating their next masterpiece so that they can prepare for next year’s competition.