Four students with a total of five pieces will advance to state after winning area at the Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) on Saturday Feb. 22 at Amarillo High School.

After presenting to a juror, 20 students, receiving a four as a score on their artwork, won regionals and progressed to area. Then, all jurors viewed the regional winning pieces and chose a set percentage of pieces to continue from area to state.

The qualifying students at the area level at VASE were sophomore Kerri Salazar and juniors Bryce Bonanno, Ashley Morgan, and Caroline Mills, with Mills having two qualifying pieces.

“I was shocked at how the jurors picked who went to area and it’s the same concept at state,” art teacher Linda Podzemny said. “They were all wonderful art pieces, but you never know what is in the mind of a judge when they are judging pieces.”

Podzemny said that she had three times as many entries this year than she did last year.

“I really advertised wanting to grow VASE this year,” Podzemny said. “Last year I had nine entries and this year I had 37.  I have always had at least two people advance to state. But it’s all in the hands of the judges after you release your work. I am really proud of all these students. They all worked really hard, and I wish they could all go.”