Sterling College has announced the winners of the first Great Plains Annual Photography Competition, a juried art show for high school students. The Best of Show, along with the grand prize of a Nikon DSLR camera, was awarded to Annalise Albrecht of Hill City, Kansas, and Second Best of Show was awarded to MaKayla Jones of Yates Center, Kansas. Seven students were also recognized as Category Winners and received scholarships and memory cards.

“We are extremely pleased with the quantity and quality of the work, especially for the first year of this new, annual competition. It was very encouraging to see the variety of styles and application within the entries. We are excited to continue this into the future as a venue for students to be recognized for their imagery and to receive scholarships to encourage them to keep pursuing their passion in photography,” said Daniel Swartz, assistant professor of art and design.

The photography competition featured seven categories: still-life, portrait, non-objective, landscape, fine art, interiors and alternative. Category Winners include: Jesse Bruner of Eskridge, Kansas, for still-life; Bailey Fynmore of Abilene, Kansas, for portrait; Lydia Kliewer of Hillsboro, Kansas, for non-objective; Annalise Albrecht of Hill City, Kansas, for landscape; MaKayla Jones of Yates Center, Kansas, for fine art; Alyssa Darbyshire of Eureka, Kansas, for interiors; and Jake Reitz of Seneca, Kansas, for alternative.

Honorable mention recipients, who also receive scholarships, include Deanna Bidwell of Leon, Kansas; Saige Biedenbender of Westmoreland, Kansas; Madison Bourn of Wichita, Kansas; Breanna Hammerschmidt of Hutchinson, Kansas; Lydia Kliewer of Hillsboro, Kansas; Marissa Kucharek of Wichita, Kansas; and Seth Rogers of Peck, Kansas.

To view a gallery of the Great Plains Annual Photography Competition, visit www.sterling.edu/photo-contest.

Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year college located in Sterling, Kansas, with a mission to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith. For more information, visit www.sterling.edu.