Record number of participants recognized at Visual Arts State Festival
Posted: Saturday, May 10, 2025 - 6:48 PM
During the Minnesota State High School League's Visual Arts State Festival on Saturday, May 10 at the Perpich Center for Arts Education, a record 137 students were recognized with an Award of Excellence.
Park Center sophomore Hilda Chanzu and Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial senior Ronan McGinnis are artists who create pieces they don’t intend to be award-winning entries.
“Art is a hobby,” Chanzu said. “When I start a piece of art, I think it might look good on a wall. You don’t dream that others are going to see it as an award-winning thing. I would never dream it would evolve into this.”
For McGinnis, his latest piece of work will eventually be a birthday present. It will be presented later, however, as the recipient gave McGinnis permission to enter it into the section arts festival. The creation impressed the judges so much that it advanced to the state level.
“I like to make things that are based off gaming characters,” McGinnis said. “I do things based on things I enjoy, things you can be proud of.”
Chanzu and McGinnis were among a state-record 137 participants who were honored during the Minnesota State High School League’s Visual Arts State Festival held on Saturday, May 10 at the Perpich Center for Arts Education. The annual celebration recognizes Spotlight on the Arts recipients from the section level. There are 12 categories in the Visual Arts contest lineup.
All pieces were proudly on display in a gallery-display public viewing that preceded a recognition ceremony. Before an overflow crowd of supporters, students were recognized with certificates and a Spotlight on the Arts trophy, presented by Apple Valley’s Zach Prax, a Fine Arts representative on the League’s Board of Directors.
Both Chanzu and McGinnis were first-time participants in the festival.
“I’m really nervous about being here, it is just such an honor,” Chanzu said.
“It is exciting to be here with the rest of these great student artists in Minnesota,” McGinnis said. “It is humbling to be here. These works here are quite impressive.”
The League has sponsored a Visual Arts State Festival since 2001.
Hilda Chanzu, a sophomore at Park Center High School, never dreamed her artistic works would ever evolve into becoming some of Minnesota's best.
Ronan McGinnis, a senior at Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial, was a Spotlight on the Arts recipient for the first time. His work originated as a birthday present.
Eastview High School educator Zach Prax, a Fine Arts representative on the League's Board of Directors, shared a reflection before presenting awards on Saturday, May 10 at the Perpich Center for Arts Education.
