Three high school students were awarded Arcadia University scholarships for outstanding artwork included in the 27th annual “Touch the Future” juried art show. David Hafer, Rebecca Johnson, and Bibi Parast received Achievement Awards of $1,500, $1,000, and $500, respectively, for their entries. Hosted by Arcadia University, the show, which runs through March 27 and was juried by Arcadia Assistant Professor of Studio Art Abbey Ryan ’03, features more than 150 works of art created by students from 29 high schools in Bucks and Montgomery counties.

Hafer, of North Penn High School, received first place “Best in Show” for his digital photography piece, “Untitled,” a sparse image of a fallen branch nestled in snow. Johnson, a student from Upper Dublin High School, was awarded second place for “Classical Still Life,” a black and white pencil drawing that depicts a disorganized scene of opulent life: a chair draped with lace curtains and a skull and a vase on the seat with scattered bunches of grapes on the floor. Finally, Bensalem High School’s Parast took third place with “Goodbye Soldier,” a wireframe sculpture of two loved ones embracing.

For the exhibition, high school art teachers in the two counties were asked to submit student entries in the following categories: printmaking, jewelry/metals, fiber crafts, 2-D mixed media, digital imaging/computer graphics, traditional silver print, painting, black and white drawing, color drawing, 3-D functional, 3-D single medium sculpture, 3-D mixed media sculpture, 2-D design, and digital photography.

The show’s title takes its inspiration from the motto of Christa McAuliffe, the teacher astronaut who perished aboard the Challenger space shuttle: “I touch the future … I teach.” The show is sponsored by the Mideastern Region of the Pennsylvania State Education Association and the Council for the Advancement of Public Schools. Chairpersons for the event are art teachers Lynne Pribis of Upper Dublin High School, Connie Berger of Cheltenham High School, and Kelly Washington of Pennsbury High School.

The exhibition runs in the Commons Art Gallery and the Great Room lobby area until March 27 and is open to the public during gallery hours: