Twenty-three Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts students have been selected as Arts Across Arkansas 2025 finalists, including one student who qualified in three separate categories.
Arts Across Arkansas is a program that aims to encourage, enhance and expand students’ original thoughts, processes, personal experiences and artistic abilities, according to the program’s website. It is sponsored by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Division of Arkansas Heritage.
The competition features competition in six categories: Visual Arts, Dance Choreography, Film, Music Composition, Literary Arts and Photography. ASMSA students were selected as finalists in the Visual Arts, Film, Music Composition, Literary Arts and Photography. Senior Jaime Hernandez is a finalist in the Visual Arts, Film and Literary Arts categories.
Visual Arts
- KC Cavin, a junior from Mount Vernon, “Acceptance”;
- Hannah Dalencourt-King, a senior from Poplar Grove, “Transformation of Passion”
- Jaime Hernandez, a senior from Decatur, “Swarm”
- Sephora Faiq, a junior from Arkadelphia, “Mother’s Garment”
- Olivia Busby, a senior from Heber Springs, “Fluidity”
- Coley Rogers, a junior from Cherokee Village, “Self Portrait”
Film
- Jamie Hernandez, a senior from Decatur, “Spring”
- AB Maness, a senior from Benton, “Olivia?”
- Makenna Kutzschebauch, a junior from Benton, “Dead Women Walking”
- Priya James, a junior from Decatur, “Blue Light”
Music Composition
- Mackenzie Curl, a junior from Crossett, “Forgive and Forget”
- Faith Wesley, a junior from Hot Springs, “Paraclete”
- Bryce Jackson, a junior from Salem, “Paris 1944”
- Matthew Carter, a junior from Hot Springs, “Goku”
Literary Arts
- Preston Lowe, a senior from Mayflower, “Woven Into An Hour Bittersweet”
- Saylor Ross, a senior from Crossett, “Homecoming Queen”
- Kaiyan Yu, a junior from Benton, “Nasa”
- Halie Cook, a junior from Pine Bluff, “Dollar Store Collar”
- Cora Breshears, a senior from Bonnerdale, “The Last Night of Childhood”
- Grace Conn, a junior from Van Buren, “Agri-Culture”
- Eva Cummings, a senior from Fayetteville, “Axolotl Ownership”
- Jamie Hernandez, a senior from Decatur, “Funeral Flowers and the Snakes Shedding Skin in Between”
- Stevie Watkins, a senior from Perryville, “What a Tasty Meal”
- Claira Hartig, a junior from Greenbrier, “The Envelope Was Empty”
The finals for the third annual event will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 29, at Westwood School for Performing Arts in North Little Rock. The event will include exhibitions and performances by the more than 40 students selected as finalists. The event is free and open to the public.