By Michael Rutschky
Published on November 7, 2007
Three students of PJC’s Adult High School department received awards at the Greater Gulf Coast Arts Festival, which was held November 2-4. Three AHS students were awarded a total of four awards. Haley Jacks won both a ribbon of honorable mention from the festival and a Merit Award from PJC’s Visual Arts Department. Chris Christianson and Courtney Wells both earned Merit Awards from the festival patrons for their work. Click <b><a href=”https://www.ecorsair.com/media/storage/paper692/news/2007/11/07/PhotoGalleries/Adult.High.School.Earns.Art.Awards-3112720.shtml”>HERE</b></a> to access a slideshow of the artwork and awards.
Artwork was judged Friday morning by representatives from PJC, University of West Florida, and the festival itself. Between Friday afternoon and Sunday the artwork is given Merit Awards based on how well the pieces are received by the patrons of the festival.
“I’m very pleased with the awards,” said Wendy Cresswell, the sole art instructor of the department.
Because the Adult High School department is part of the Junior College, it is typically not able to compete with other Escambia County high schools in local art shows. However, the Greater Gulf Coast Arts Festival gave the AHS students a chance to compete with not only students from around Escambia County, but Santa Rosa as well.
Cresswell is currently searching for other venues around Pensacola where her students can be recognized for their talents. The next chance for her students to display their art for the community will be the African Heritage Art Show in January.