Texas High School Visual Art Scholastic Event (VASE) celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2019. The first VASE event was held in 1994 with just over 400 student entries; after 25 years, High School VASE entries now number around 35,000. Students create artworks, write about their creative processes and understanding of visual art, and articulate information about their artwork during an interview with a VASE juror, who evaluates their work using a standardsbased rubric.
Academically eligible high school students in grades 9-12 from throughout Texas can participate in VASE, entered by teachers who are members in good standing with TAEA.
A set percentage of artworks with Superior Ratings advance to the State Event and are presented an Area Medal. Artworks receiving an Exemplary Rating (IV) are awarded a State VASE medallion. The state jury panel selects Gold Seal winners from those artworks receiving an Exemplary Rating.
<https://www.taea.org/vase/>
This year, there were 30,643 High School entries with 1,974 State Qualifiers. Nine hundred and fifty received a level IV rating and 149 received the Gold Seal Award. Gracen Shahan, a Sophomore at SSHS, and Leslie Aguirre, a Junior at SSHS, were two of the 950 that medaled at State. These talented girls should be commended for their hard work and dedication to the program. They are both looking forward to next year’s competition.