ST. GEORGE – People can help Red Rock Canyon School win $75,000 to expand its arts program by voting for the school in the Vans Custom Culture contest. Better be quick though, the voting closes Friday at 6 p.m.
The Red Rock Canyon School was named a semifinalist last month by the Vans shoe company.
“Vans Custom Culture was created to inspire and empower high school students to embrace their creativity through art and design and to bring attention to diminishing arts education budgets,” according to the contest website. “Vans believes everyone should be empowered to express themselves creatively and should be given the tools to do so.’
The contest focuses on students customizing two pairs of blank Vans shoes based on the themes of “Off the Wall” and “Local Flavor.”
Designs submitted by the Red Rock Canyon students revolved around the region’s iconic geography and wildlife.
The students were also required to submit an essay addressing how winning the $75,000 would help the school’s art program.
“If we are fortunate to win the grand prize, our Art Teacher would like to expand the square footage of the classroom enabling us to broaden the program itself, purchase a smart board, an Ipad for each student, a 3-D printer, easels and supplies,” wrote Red Rock Canyon School student named Peyton who was chosen by his fellow students to pen the school’s essay.
In the essay, Peyton posed the question of what art meant to the reader.
I ask this question – what is art to you? Painting? Drawing? Putting weird shapes together? All of that is correct but for us, art is so much more. It’s an expression and outlet for our storm. Art is like that one cloud going in that one different direction to start something bigger and brighter, just like us. Art isn’t something we are forced to do for fun; it’s a way for us to express ourselves and what we do to finally feel alive. This art program has helped many of the misunderstood students of Red Rock, past and present, discover hidden talents they didn’t even know they possessed as well as giving us the confidence we need to navigate through life.
Essays submitted by the semifinalists, along with a picture of their shoe designs, is featured on the contest website.
Red Rock Canyon School was one of 50 schools from across the nation chosen from over 2,000 that applied. Now in the top 50, it’s up to the public to vote for the school in the Vans Custom Culture contest.
The grand prize is the $75,000, with four finalists receiving $10,000.
The Red Rock Canyon School, located at 747 St. George Blvd. in St. George, is a private residential treatment center for students 12-18.
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