“Cassowary,” a pencil drawing by Parkersburg South High School student Samantha McKinney won first place in the ninth-grade category at Wood County Schools’ Art Expressions Show at the Parkersburg Art Center. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — Wood County Schools’ Art Expressions exhibit wrapped up Sunday at the Parkersburg Art Center with the announcement of awards.

Approximately 200 students, from third-graders to high school seniors across the district’s schools, had work displayed in the event, said Kay Mason, who coordinated the show.

“It represents pretty much the entire county,” she said.

Mason said participation was up this year compared to last, which she attributed to having an in-person event again, rather than virtual like last year’s, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the winners selected by a panel of judges and recognized Sunday was Parkersburg South freshman Samantha McKinney, whose pencil drawing, “Cassowary,” earned first place in the ninth-grade category.

Williamstown High School junior Luise Band, right, discusses her entry in Wood County Schools’ Art Expressions Art Show with Parkersburg South High School senior Elisa Maresca Sunday after an awards ceremony at the Parkersburg Art Center. Both are exchange students, Maresca from Italy and Band from Germany. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

“I think it’s really awesome I was able to get an award for something I did,” she said.

McKinney said she’s been doing art as a hobby since she was little, and she’d encourage any student to share their art through shows like the Expressions exhibit.

“They should go for it,” she said. “They all have their own unique styles and they should embrace it.”

The winners, by grade, were:

12th

The Art Expressions Art Show displayed the work of approximately 200 Wood County Schools students, from third-graders to high school seniors, at the Parkersburg Art Center. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

* First: Harper Lawrence, Parkersburg High School.

* Second: Mikayla Bryan, Parkersburg South High School.

* Third: Kandi Alltop, South.

11th

* First: Ellie Roberts, PHS.

Vienna Elementary School fourth-grader Jace Riffle receives his prize for earning second place in his grade in the Wood County Schools Art Expressions Art Show Sunday at the Parkersburg Art Center. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

* Second: Rylee Waggoner, South.

* Third: Kamryn Sallee, South.

10th

* First: Nate McPeak, PHS.

* Second: Hannah Vanlue, South.

This untitled acrylic painted piece by Parkersburg High School senior Harper Lawrence earned a first-place award in Wood County Schools’ Art Expressions exhibit. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

* Third: Anna Ware, South.

Ninth

* First: Samantha McKinney, South.

* Second: Jillian Ward, PHS.

* Third: Emily Winter, PHS.

Parkersburg South High School art teacher Stacey White, left, takes a picture of South freshman Samantha McKinney next to her first-place pencil drawing “Cassowary” Sunday at the Wood County Art Expressions Art Show at the Parkersburg Art Center. (Photo Provided)

Eighth

* First: Riley Kerns, Edison Middle School.

* Second: Dharma Dillon-Fountaine, Edison.

* Third: Rylinn Stull, Hamilton Middle School.

Seventh

* First: Alaina Parsons, Jackson Middle School.

* Second: Izzy Earley, Edison.

* Third: Savannah Burdick, Edison.

Sixth

* First: Aleah Gibson, Blennerhassett Middle School.

* Second: Analeigh Bennett, Edison.

* Third: Cheyanne Rummer, Jackson.

Fifth

* First: Aleena Johnson, Williamstown Elementary School.

* Second: Mia Butterford, Emerson Elementary School.

* Third: Jensyn Stump, Williamstown.

Fourth

* First: Kennedy Curtis, Jefferson Elementary Center.

* Second: Jace Riffle, Vienna Elementary School.

* Third: Gracie Uhl, Neale Elementary School.

Third

* First: Zaikiyah Jackson, Jefferson.

* Second: Brooklyn Pando, Jefferson.

* Third: Hazel Flowers, Jefferson.

Those attending Sunday voted for the People’s Choice award, which went to Brayden Stephens of Jackson Middle School.

Parkersburg South High School art teacher Stacey White takes pictures of some of the pieces exhibited this past week at the Wood County Art Expressions Art Show at the Parkersburg Art Center. The show wrapped up Sunday with a reception and awards ceremony. (Photo Provided)