For the 35th year, top works of art from Bucks and Montgomery County high school students will be featured during the Annual “Touch the Future” art show, which is returning to an in-person show this year in collaboration with Montgomery County Community College, beginning on Feb. 27.

“Touch the Future” is a professionally-juried art exhibit named in tribute to Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher in space who perished aboard the space shuttle Challenger and was known to have said, “I touch the future. I teach.”

Touch the Future is sponsored by the Mideastern Region of the Pennsylvania State Education Association and the Council for the Advancement of Public Schools.

“We thank Montgomery County Community College for partnering with us again on this year’s show and we are thrilled to be returning to an in-person event for our artists, parents, and the public,” said Alan Malachowski, President of PSEA’s Mideastern Region. “Last year’s virtual show was wonderful, the platform impressive, but there is something unique and personal about experiencing art in a gallery.”

The show launched on Friday, Feb. 25. Two-hundred eighty-seven students from 24 local high schools, supported by 83 teachers, participated in the show. The winners of the juried show were selected by Shawn Sabourin, Admissions Counselor at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art.

The 2022 show awarded 24 prizes totaling $3,750 to students from 13 Bucks and Montgomery County high schools.

“Montgomery County Community College is pleased to partner with the region’s school districts to showcase and celebrate the artwork of these incredibly talented students in our Fine Arts Center Gallery located at the Blue Bell Campus,” said Dr. Victoria L. Bastecki-Perez, MCCC President. “Hosting an art exhibit that honors Christa McAuliffe and her legacy is a natural fit, as the College looks forward to opening a Challenger Learning Center at the Pottstown Campus later this year.  The intent of the Center is to inspire youth to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.”

List of Winners:

AWARD/CATEGORY	STUDENT NAME	SCHOOL	TITLE	TEACHER
1st Place Best of Show	Rowan Blankemeyer	Upper Dublin HS	Jelly Print Book	Steven Hopkins
2nd Place Best of Show	Kaylee Corbi	North Penn HS	“Transience of Conversation”	Colleen Cooney-Irwin
3rd Place Best of Show	Reed Stoltz	Council Rock South HS	Body Snatchers	Michael Catalano
CATEGORY AWARDS	STUDENT NAME	SCHOOL	TITLE	TEACHER
Printmaking	Annalyse Washington	Abington Senior HS	Escape	David Ferro
Computer Animation	Cameron Steward	North Penn HS	Individual Reel	Mike Werner
Digital Photography	Ashley Kitch	North Penn HS	Untitled	Joanne Carrick
Drawing- Black & White	Mckenna Maguire	Pennridge HS	Hair of the Dog	Sarah Moos
Jewelry/Metals:
*Sue Castle Memorial Award*	Emily Meder	Council Rock South HS	The House	Elizabeth Thomas
Traditional Silver Print	Xinhan Chen	Upper Dublin HS	City Grid Joiner	Steven Hopkins
Color Drawing	Eliza Feil	Upper Moreland HS	Shrimp, Baby!	Alexander Pingulli
Fiber Crafts	Olivia Wagner	Spring-Ford Area HS	Work in Progress	Brent Kissel
Digital Imaging/Computer Graphics	Renee Kang	North Penn HS	Power of Words	Colleen Cooney-Irwin
Painting-Acrylic/Oil	Oisin Carolan	Souderton Area Senior HS	Basquiat	Ginny Perry
Watercolor	Alysha Schneider	Council Rock North HS	Secret Garden	Colleen Palmer
2-D Design (no digital)	Jaida Etheredge	Souderton Area Senior HS	My Name is Jaida	Ginny Perry
2-D Mixed Media	Alaire Galloway	Central Bucks East HS	To the Woman Like Me	Helene Moriarity
3-D Functional	Alex McCauley	Upper Dublin HS	Wooden Bowl	Crystal Dunn
3-D Single Medium Sculpture	Makena Kumfert	Methacton HS	I Love U" (black) & More Than Loneliness	Jason Koons
3-D Mixed Media Sculpture	Julia Kim	North Penn HS	Purge	Colleen Cooney-Irwin
Rosemary Hamilton Memorial Art Award: Teachers' Choice	Raine Powell	William Tennent HS	The Tree of Life	Alexandra Montgomery
PSEA Purchase Prize	Maggie Lynch	Jenkintown HS	Jenkintown Train Station	Jason Slowik
PSEA Purchase Prize	Madison Pinar	Pennsbury HS	The Dance	Kelsey Adair