Kaneland young artists honored

Six Kaneland student artists have won state awards and will have their artwork featured in a traveling show across Illinois.

The elementary students were among the top 40 artists from more than 500 entrants in the 2007-2008 Illinois Art Education Association Student Art Show contest.

Kaneland winners from Stewart Elementary are: Anna Bateman, now in sixth grade; Jason McRedmond, now in fourth grade; and Jennifer Weber, now in second grade.

Winners from Shields Elementary are: Evy Nieves, now in second grade; Nolan Matthys, now in first grade; and Taylor Washlow, now in fifth grade.

The students were recognized at a Kaneland school board meeting Monday night.

Students' works included collages, print making and contour drawing in which students draw another person without looking at the page or picking up their pencil.

"We know that kids can do so much more than color things in," said Shields art teacher Colleen Grigg. "We want to push them beyond what people think they can do."

She said other art teachers were impressed by the work that the Kaneland artists were doing, especially for their grade levels.

Kaneland students are consistently chosen to be part of the show, usually with multiple winners each year, Superintendent Charles McCormick said.

"That really says a tremendous amount about the students, teachers and families here," he said.