On this Behind the Mitten podcast, co-hosts Amy Sherman and John Gonzalez interview teachers and students who participated in Consumers Energy’s 2023 SmartArt Competition with Grand Rapids Public Schools and ArtPrize.On Sunday (Sept. 17), students were recognized for their clean energy-themed artwork in a ceremony presented by Consumers, GRPS and ArtPrize.GRPS student Joshua Kortenhoven won the 2023 SmartArt competition with artwork titled “Green Shoes.” He received a $2,000 college scholarship from Consumers Energy. He is a 10th graders at City High Middle School.The Peoples Choice winner was Mathew Pierce, a junior at Ottawa Hills High School. His work was titled "Striped Hyena."On this podcast Gonzo and Amy interview:Art teacher Marci Hanley of University Preparatory Academy, who had two students who made the Top 20. She explains the SmartArt competition.Winner Joshua Kortenhoven joins in next to talk about his winning artwork.Art teacher Teagan Burns of Museum High School, whose student Mathew Pierce was the People's Choice winner, talks about how important it is for students to be validated.And Josiah Willink (who finished #4 in the competition), a senior at City High Middle School, who is considering art education as a major. He explains in detail his work titled "Sunclimbers."Artwork from the finalists included mixed media, oil painting, ceramic, yarn, digital, ink, plastic, and more. They were selected from 41 entries.The 20 finalists, along with their artwork title, grade, and high school are, in alphabetical order:Quinlyn Angstman, Connected, 9th, Museum HSZy'Aira Blackmon, If I Could Wear It On My Shell, 9th, Innovation CentralAlice Cork, A Better Future, 10th, City HMSImoni Curry, Healing, 9th, U-PrepYoselin Diaz-Deleon, Imagine, 11th, C.A. FrostJacey Doyle, Reusable Energy, 11th, Museum HSAmelia Ferenczi, Military vs. Future, 9th, UnionChloe Gust, Reaching for the Sun, 10th, C.A. FrostA'Nyah Harris, Just Another Rainforest of the Sea, 9th, Museum HSCarneiscia Harris, Power Cleaner Greener World, 11th, Innovation CentralPrecious Herrera, Una Hermosa Bendicion, 11th, Southwest MHSEmma Hoogewind, Stories, 9th, C.A. FrostClara Kirkbride, Whales, 9th, C.A. FrostJoshua Kortenhoven, Green Shoes, 9th, City HMSMathew Pierce, Striped Hyena, 10th, Ottawa Hills HSAzaria Powell, Mother Earth, 9th, U-PrepEliot Redwine, Biomass, 11th, City HMSRachel Sackett, The Veil, 11th, City HMSConnor Thompson, Economic Greed, 9th, Museum HSJosiah Willink, Sunclimbers, 11th, City HMSThe winner’s artwork, along with the art from Top 10 finalists, is on display during ArtPrize ona large banner hanging outside the Consumers Energy electric substation downtown at Fulton Street and Market Avenue. ArtPrize continues through Oct. 1.To see photos of all the Top 20 winners and learn more about SmartArt, go to force4michigan.com.To learn more about Behind the Mitten go to amyandgonzo.com.Follow Gonzo and Amy:Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/behindthemittenTwitter at @BehindTheMittenInstagram at @BehindTheMitten

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