Student artists depict what home means to them in annual “Where I Live” School Arts Exhibition

The familiar refrains of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays” playing over the airwaves during the holiday season validate the sentimentality we feel about the place we call home during this time of year.  It is in that spirit that Clark County elementary students were asked to illustrate what home means to them during the annual “Where I Live” School Arts Exhibition hosted by the Nevada Housing Division in conjunction with support from community partners and sponsors.

More than 1600 Clark County kindergarten through fifth grade students submitted artwork depicting where they live now or a place they would like to call home. The submitted entries were narrowed to 192 pieces selected by a panel of local artists, community leaders and state officials. The juried pieces were put on display December 6^th at the “Where I Live” exhibition and awards program held in the Titian Ballroom at The Venetian where a group of more than 850 students, teachers, family members, sponsors and partners were gathered.

The submitted entries were narrowed to 192 pieces selected by a panel of local artists, community leaders and state officials. The juried pieces were put on display December 6^th at the “Where I Live” exhibition and awards program held in the Titian Ballroom at The Venetian where a group of more than 850 students, teachers, family members, sponsors and partners were gathered.

During the program, awards for first, second and third place, along with 10 honorable mentions were given special recognition.  Recipients of first, second and third place were presented with a certificate and gift card.  The 10 honorable mention recipients were given a certificate and all thirteen winners were given an art box and will have their artwork featured in the 2015 Where I Live calendar distributed by the Nevada Housing Division.

The winners of this year’s art contest are:

·         Trisha Nguyen, 5^th grade , First Place

·         Marcellus Brown, 5^th grade, Second Place

·         Antonella Canavesi, 4^th grade, Third Place

Honorable Mentions: Britney Gonzalez (5^th grade); Alejandro Arancibia (4^th grade); Asher Threat (3^rd grade); Jaren Nickels (4^th grade); Axel Reynolds (4^th grade); Arianna Jones (2^nd grade); Alyssa Anderson (kindergarten); Ruby Butler (3^rd grade); Priscilla Betty Jenkins (4^th grade); Davi Auna Dean (4^th grade)

“The Division was pleased to partner with Clark County School District, The Venetian Hotel and Casino as well as various sponsors to offer this contest, now in its fifteenth year.  The evening was magical for all of us: the 192 student artists, their parents, the proud teachers who came out to support their students, and the Venetian crew that worked so hard to put this together.  I am so proud to be a part of something so gratifying and am looking forward to next year’s contest,” said Nicole Nelson, Nevada Housing Division.     

The contest, exhibition and awards were made possible with the support of a number of community partners and sponsors including: Sands Cares, Distinctive Homes, Aaron Brothers Art and Framing, Affordable Housing Partners, Altera Home Loans, Clark County School District, George Gekakis, Inc., Nevada H.A.N.D., Inc., Nevada Rural Housing Authority, One Nevada Credit Union, Southern Fidelity Mortgage and SDA, Inc.

 About the Nevada Housing Division

The Nevada Housing Division was created by the Nevada Legislature in 1975, when it was recognized that a shortage of safe, decent, and sanitary housing existed throughout the State for low- and moderate-income Nevadans. Their mission is to improve quality of life by providing affordable housing opportunities. For more information visit www.housing.nv.gov.

###