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GREENVILLE, OH – The Anna Bier Gallery, in partnership with Darke County Center for the Arts (DCCA), recently hosted the 2025 Annual Darke County High School Art Show Awards Ceremony, an evening celebrating the extraordinary talent of young artists from across the county.
Held at St. Clair Memorial Hall, the event showcased 95 carefully selected works from hundreds of pieces, representing 80 students from all eight public high schools in Darke County. These pieces exemplified exceptional creativity, craftsmanship, and vision, making the exhibition a powerful testament to the importance of art education in our community.
Jennifer Overholser, Artistic Director of Visual Arts for DCCA, opened the evening with remarks highlighting the vital role of the arts in shaping tomorrow’s leaders. “Students don’t just learn to draw or paint—they learn to invent, to connect, and to lead,” Overholser said. “Art builds empathy, fosters resilience, and gives students a voice.”
As part of DCCA’s “Art Start” initiative, each participating school received $500 in support of its visual arts program to purchase supplies thanks to the generous backing of the Darke County Endowment for the Arts. In addition, GNB Banking Centers provided a sponsorship to give each student artist a personal sketchbook to continue developing their creativity.
Special thanks were given to the teachers and administrators who guide and inspire their students daily, and to the sponsors and donors who make events like this possible. Continued support from the Darke County Foundation, George and Becky Luce, The Harry Stephens Foundation, The Lydia Schaurer Foundation, and others has been instrumental in strengthening the arts throughout the region.
Award Winners Announced
Professional artist Debby Gregory of St. Marys, OH, selected this year’s winners after hours of careful deliberation. Her expert eye was drawn to pieces that displayed both technical excellence and bold, creative choices. Thanks to the Darke County Foundation, $1,000 in cash prizes were awarded.
Best in Show went to Jocelyn Reier (Greenville) for her stunning Scratchboard Medusa—a piece praised for its intricate detail, dramatic use of light and dark, and mastery of a difficult medium.
Category Winners Include:
Drawing:
- 1st: Rebekah Bunch – Greenville
- 2nd: Lauren Wills – Greenville
- 3rd: Maddie Walters – Versailles
- 4th: Trent Holden – Mississinawa Valley
Photography/Digital:
- 1st: Wesley Blackburn – Franklin Monroe
- 2nd: Addie Bauman – Franklin Monroe
- 3rd: Maia Wisner – Mississinawa Valley
- 4th: Hunter Cox – Mississinawa Valley
Mixed Media/Miscellaneous:
- 1st: Rees Hoffman – Arcanum
- 2nd: Caylle Lester – Greenville
- 3rd: Maleigh Jacobs – Bradford
- 4th: Maddie Walters – Versailles
Painting:
- 1st: Jasmine Brown – Bradford
- 2nd: Sarah Zerkle – Ansonia
- 3rd: June Cooke – Arcanum
- 4th: Zane Henderson – Ansonia
Other 3D:
- 1st: Adele Strunks – Greenville
- 2nd: Addison Meade – Tri-Village
- 3rd: Keven Huang – Franklin Monroe
- 4th: Madison Shofner – Franklin Monroe
Ceramics:
- 1st: Lauren Prenger – Versailles
- 2nd: Truman Knaus – Arcanum
- 3rd: Trey Wilson – Franklin Monroe
- 4th: Avery Leeper – Arcanum
Honorable Mentions:
Reagan Flora (Franklin Monroe), Andrea Graves (Versailles), Charlie Pope (Greenville), Delaney Callahan (Ansonia), Amara Holdeman (Greenville), Leah Lawrence (Tri-Village)
Additional Highlights
The evening concluded with a student door prize raffle featuring art supply bundles and gift certificates to Blick Art Materials.
For more information about DCCA programs or to support the arts in Darke County, please visit www.darkecountyarts.org or follow the Anna Bier Art Gallery on Facebook.
Photo: Best in Show winner Jocelyn Reier (Greenville)
