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 February 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, February 25. 287 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 BELOW-
| 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 |
| PSEA Purchase Prize | Molly Gallagher | Spring-Ford Area HS | Sisters | Lauren Keifer |
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