BUCKHANNON – Artist Pablo Picasso is quoted as saying, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

Upshur County schools are full of young artists and they celebrate them by framing and displaying their art at the Upshur County Schools Central Office.

During Tuesday’s Upshur County Board of Education meeting, some of those artists were recognized for their outstanding artwork. Those recognized include Easton Perkins, Tori Perkins and Meghan Gould.

Easton’s artwork was a Native American Shield design.

“Within his class, he learned about painting on shields and animal hides. Paintings on shields were very meaningful and powerful images to the one who painted them,” according to Upshur County Schools Technology/Digital Communication Specialist Kayla Yocum. “Students were encouraged to draw an image that had significance to him and Easton chose an eagle, which often portrays strength, wisdom and courage. The stripes allude to American patriotism and the symbol on the Eagle represents peace. To complete his painting, Easton used oil pastels brightly with a thin wash of paint over the pastels to give the effect of painting on leather.”

The next young artist recognized was Tori Perkins, whose painting was of a Chinese dragon. The students in Tori’s eighth-grade art class were instructed on dragonlore from both Eastern and Western cultures. The dragon drawings were embellished with lines and textures to give character and interest and the decorative border was to accentuate the dragon. Tori’s dragon was made from watercolor.

Finally, Meghan Gould was recognized for her creation depicting a medieval knight’s armor. Meghan styled her armor from various mediums throughout history includes embossed metal, giving the feel of dimension.

Superintendent of Upshur County Schools Dr. Sara Lewis Stankus thanked the young artists for allowing their creations to be displayed at the Central Office and said everyone enjoyed seeing them.

Upshur County Schools attained its goal of having one-to-one technology devices for each of their students. Despite the added duties and new, innovative ways of learning adding more to teachers’ plates, those instructors have stepped up and have taken on learning new things on their own time to assure they are delivering lessons and instructions to students in the best way possible.

Yocum, the Upshur County Schools Technology/Digital Communication Specialist, said the completers utilized their personal time to gain experience with the Schoology Platform allowing them to be readily available to support students, families and other staff members.

Members of the Buckhannon Academy Elementary School staff who worked to complete the Schoology Professional Development Program were recognized by BOE members.

Those folks include Barbara Bailey, Brittany Bennett, Tahsha Carpenter, Kirsten Colt-Fetty, Sarah Critchfield, Trinity Currence, Jennifer Dalton, Alicia Egress, Christine Flanagan, Amy Hackett, Daniel Hepler, Kristen Hines, Sherri Hoover, Jessica Howes, Kim Lantz, Megan Lipscomb, Elizabeth Lowe, Amanda Mason, Beth Materne, Tammy McKisic, Julie Mearns, Cheryl Moore, Beth Pickens, Jessica Radabaugh, Amanda Tenney, Kasondra Tracy, Patrina Thorn and Lisa Wildman.

Stankus said she wanted to thank the completers for ‘going over and beyond’ their workday.

“Thank you so much and congratulations,” Stankus said.

The last Upshur Star Awards were presented by Buckhannon Academy Elementary School Principal Susanne Britton and Assistant Principal Eric Brand.

“BAES and all Upshur County Schools are fortunate to have such dedicated professionals, as well as service personnel, who go above and beyond to meet the needs of students, staff and families within our community,” Yocum read.

Britton recognized Kevin Eshelman, Rosalee Hissam, Wade Sinclair, Rick Gould and Timothy Bean – whom she described as hard-working, diligent and flexible.

“During the time that students have been remote learners, they not only cleaned the school, but have painted, pressure-washed, concreted, decluttered, built, repaired, moved and completed everything and anything that needed to be done,” Britton said. “Our school has never looked better thanks to you.”

Next, Britton recognized Krista Sappey and Kirsten Colt-Fetty, saying they have met with families to assist with technology, deliver food and transport assignments.

“They have been working alongside of teachers and administrators to locate our missing students and to get them on track,” Britton said. “They are also coordinating Thanksgiving meals for needy families and planning ways to support families for Christmas. We are fortunate to have them as part of our BAES family.”