Inspiration. Imagination. Innovation. All three forces came together showcasing an explosion of creativity at Bossier Schools’ second annual i3 Art Expo from Feb. 14-16, 2019 at the Bossier Civic Center.
Presented in partnership with the City of Bossier City, the i3 Art Expo is an all-encompassing culmination of Bossier Parish students’ amazing talents highlighting visual and literary art, vocal and musical performances, filmmaking, animation, hands-on STEAM activities (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics), and an emphasis on reading.
Activities included bronze sculpting demonstrations, a lip sync challenge and digital media activities. Plus, nightly music, vocal and short film competitions, student performances, hands-on activities, art gallery, scavenger hunt and book fair.
Parkway High School senior Michele Elias was one of the many finalists whose work was chosen to receive recognition showcasing her amazing talent and attention to detail with her Multi-Media piece entitled “El Arbolde la Vida.”
“This is my first year submitting into the i3 expo and I am so glad that I did. I couldn’t believe I was chosen as a finalist,” said Elias. “I love that Bossier schools is holding an event like this for us students to show our creativity. I hope they do it again next year. It was a great experience.”
Another talented Parkway High students whose work was included in the festivities was Emalyn Maciver. Emalyn was not chosen as a finalist, but her massive life-size mermaid was a hit with the viewing audience.
“Making the life size mermaid was an awesome experience. I am so happy that I was able to finish this piece and submit it into the i3 expo. Because the piece is so big, I am excited to see what people think when they see it up close,” said Maciver.
Walking into the event, the ceilings of the center were draped with huge vibrant streamers, which dangled colorful looping chains from their center. Each school created a decorative booth which held their artists’ displays.
The event’s mascots — Izzy, Ike, and Ivy — socialized with the crowd by dancing and mingling in the STEAM area of the event, which presented various crafts and for the younger crowd and also throughout the entire event.
As the viewing of the artwork in the main area came to a close, the crowd took seats around Inspiration Stage to start with the closing award ceremony.
Sonja Bailes, the public relations liaison for Bossier Parish Schools, expressed Bossier Schools’ gratitude to Bossier City and other sponsors, as well as volunteers.
“i3 Art Expo exceeded even our expectations last year and hopefully you will agree it was taken up another notch this year. That’s thanks to many people, but particularly our i3 Art Expo Director Kelley Kelly who has been working since last April on this year’s event,” said Bailes.
Following her speech, Bailes began to announce finalist and winners in each category.
The 1st place winners were as follows:
- K-3rd Grade/Painting — Riley Scott, a second grade student at Bellaire, for her work “Silly Bird”
- 4th-6th Grade Painting — Dorian McCoy, a 4th grader at Central Park, for “Girl”
- 7th-9th Grade Painting — Anna Wyatt, Parkway freshman for “Always There”
- 10th-12th Grade Painting — Jillian Kerneen, a 10th grade student at Parkway, for her artwork “Lovesick Boy”
- K-3rd Grade Drawing — From Stockwell Place Elementary kindergartener Luke Hale, with “Snowy Forest”
- 4th-6th Grade Drawing — Axl Silva, a 6th grade student at Rusheon, for “Pieced Together Portrait”
- 7th-9th Grade Drawing — Kassidy Kirpluck, a 9th grader at Benton High, for “City of Lights”
- 10th-12th Grade Drawing — Petra Cooper, a 12th grader at Benton High, for “Bottle Fairy”
- K-3rd grade Mixed Media— Abigail Moore, a 3rd grader at Platt, for “Dia De Los Muertos Skull”
- 4th-6th Grade Mixed Media — Juan Rivera a 5th grader from Kerr Elementary, for “Good Burger”
- 7th-9th Grade Mixed Media — Haley Hicks, a 9th grader at Airline High, for her artwork entitled “Manned Wolf”
- 10th-12th Grade Mixed Media – Imani Lamont, a 10th grader at Airline High
- 7th-9th Grade Photography — Tabitha Langley, a 9th grader from Airline, for “Pop of Red”
- 10th-12th Grade Photography — Zaria Jones, a Haughton High School senior for “Down Below”
- K-3rd Grade 3D —Gabi Davis, a 3rd grader from Plat for “Rainbow Bowl.”
- 4th-6th Grade 3D —Krystian Alford from Central Park for “Flower Vase”
- 7th-9th Grade 3D —Taylor Rodgers, a 9th grader from Airline for “Marbled Abstract”
- 10th-12th Grade 3D — Preston Cross, a senior from Haughton High for “Disarmed and Defunct”
- Inspired Authors Literary Competition/K-1st Grade Non-fiction — Ashlyn Pellonari, a 1st grader from Stockwell for “All About Spiders”
- K-1st Grade Fiction — Lucy Feibel, a kindergarten student at W.T. Lewis for “Something That Scared a Deer”
- K-1st Grade Poetry Division — Jack Binderim, a 1st grade at Sun City for “Turtles”
- 2nd-3rd Grade Non-Fiction — Brayden Pascoe, a 2nd grader at Meadowview, for “Fall”
- 2nd-3rd Grade Fiction — Evan Ross, a 3rd grader from Stockwell Place for “Woke Up on the Darkest Day”
- 2nd-3rd Grade Poetry — Hermione Hall, a 2nd grader from Bossier Elementary for her poem “My Pet Tiger”
- 4th-5th Grade Non-Fiction — Cole Lowe Apollo 5th grader for “Crack!”
- 4th-5th Grade Fiction — Bailey Thorp, a 5th grader at Legacy, for “The War”
- 4th-5th Grade Poetry —Kaiden Gomez, 5th grader at Plantation Park for the poem “Reading”
- 6th-8th Grade Non-Fiction — Mya Bardon, a 6th grade Elm Grove Middle School for “Mia and the Solo”
- 6th-8th Grade Fiction —Cheyenne Olson, a 7th grader at Elm Grove for “A Hope For Freedom”
- 9th-12th Grade Non-Fiction —Kennede Oliver, a 9th grader at Bossier High, for “The Titan”
- 9th-12th Grade Fiction —Brianna Long, a senior at Haughton High for her piece “Conversations of a Girl on a Stoop”
- 9th-12th Grade Poetry —Haughton High 9th grader Mary Shacklett for her poem “Receipts”
- Comedic/Dramatic Monologues —Kallie Pierce from Benton
- Original Piece —Taylor Fuller from Benton High School
- Best Picture/Live Action Film — Parkway production. “Two Clicks to Kill.” Ben Tuxen, director and editor; and actors Nathan Dane, Noah Smith, James Stovall and Eric Tuxen
- Best Picture/Animation — “A Day In the Woods,” by Peyton Lewis, an Airline High School 11th grader in the Talented Arts Program
- Best Film Editor — Ben Tuxen for “Two Clicks to Kill.”
- Best Film Actor — Caleb Lemon for Channel 25 from Bossier Parish School for Technology and Innovative Learning
New this year were some special awards given to students by sponsors who reviewed the hundreds of entries and chose the one that most moved them. The winners were as follows:
- Mayor’s Choice— Breanna Judge from Airline High School for her painting titled “Winnie.”
- Shreveport-Bossier Family Dental Care for Kids’ Inspiration Award — Zaria Jones from Haughton High School for “Boy George”
- Citizens National Bank VIP Imagination Award for 2D Mixed Media category — Greenacres Middle School 8th grader Ella Breaux for her scratch art titled “My Dog Chuckles”
- Cyber Innovation Center’s Innovation Award — Kallie Pierce, from Benton High, for “Refracted Friend”
- Bossier Press Tribune Literary Award — Evan Ross, from Stockwell Place Elementary, for his work of fiction “Woke Up on the Darkest Day”
- Biedenharn Foundation Favorite Film Award — “SAVED,” a BPSTIL production directed by Cason Lyons
Mitch Downey, Interim Bossier Parish Schools Superintendent closed the i3 expo saying, “Congratulations to all of our students … a big thanks to our art teachers and the many others that worked with our children to encourage their endeavors … and to our employees who spent countless hours planning and putting on this event. This is yet another example of why Bossier Schools is the fastest growing school system in north Louisiana and the second fastest in the state. Our educators and employees are unparalleled. Their jobs do not end when the final bell rings. They are constantly mentoring, tutoring, sponsoring clubs and finding every opportunity for the children of Bossier Parish to excel.”
You can see a gallery from the event below:
