By John E Weare, Keep Alliance Beautiful
ALLIANCE, Neb. - “Stay out of the library!”, curious students heard as they paused by a closed sign at Alliance High Wednesday, March 4. It seems more than a few hoping to check out a book or maybe use the bathroom were unaware of the five schools competing in the second annual Art Day Challenge. The Bulldogs – Breanna Meggison, Peytann Lunbery, Roo Mashburn, Kyla Loper and Makenna Haskell – bested the visitors by just two points over runner-up Mitchell as teams of five fashioned art from a range of recyclable items.
Keep Alliance Beautiful supported the inaugural event by collecting everything from Styrofoam to cans, bottles and cardboard and whatever looked unique from the recycling center. AHS art teacher Kathy Brock topped off what was leftover from 2025 the morning of this year’s event. Bayard, Gordon/Rushville and Mitchell returned while Hemingford took part for the first time. However, all the artists worked as cohesive teams showing great organization. Just under two hours had passed as I stepped into the room and spied a jumble of newspapers, former boxes and odds and ends covering tables.
Looking a bit closer there was a method to the madness as components of the sculptures were already taking shape. Reflecting on the theme, “The Power of Music,” I noticed what would become guitars and other instruments. CD cases lined a painted box on Mitchell’s table. An oversized hunk of piano keys was among Alliance’s first creations – the girls commented that they were all in the spring musical (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) as well. Another dimension of connectivity and teamwork.
Though every entry was still in the works with the intended vision a few hours from completion, I was intrigued by the details emerging from items most of us wouldn’t look at twice in a recycling bin. Even a couple hot glue gun mishaps did not change the vibe.
After touring the perimeter where artists stood assembling and sat working at tables or on the floor, I stopped in the middle with their teachers for a few comments. Prep varied. At Hemingford they had printed out structural prompts for cardboard sculptures. Two of the students from Bayard “have brought it up since November and wanted to bring someone” their teacher Jessica Klassen told me, adding they had worked on assembling cardboard ahead of time. “I just told them to show up,” Kathy said.
Area high schools often showcase art publicly, though an extra-curricular style competition is not the norm in Northwest Nebraska. The Art Day Challenge was about two weeks before the AHS Art Gala. Western Trails Conference has been offering an art competition with the school hosting the track meet also showcasing student artists that spring. The juried show features both 2D and 3D works with a local artist judging and medals. However, it is still more of a show than a head-to-head competition.
Kathy would like to start an event similar to Wyoming’s where a statewide symposium (the largest in the nation) brings 4,500 pieces to the Ford Wyoming Center floor in Casper.
“If we don’t give kids the chance to shine . . . it’s (today’s event) a great chance to see what kids are doing,” Jessica said.
Extending curriculum beyond the classroom fosters interest in a potential hobby, field of study or even a career where you look forward to the day’s work. The five teachers were nearly as enthusiastic as their students when talking about keeping the Art Challenge going. “I like it because I get to hand pick my crew – like an atta boy,” said Steven Law from Mitchell.
KAB will gladly supply the media indefinitely for what is fast becoming a late-winter tradition. An assortment of one man’s trash among the library stacks may become a mystical creature, a Fender guitar or absolutely anything that can be imagined – just don’t skimp on the paint or hot glue.