Norton wins MCC Paint-In; MHS’s Hanna Huff ‘Best of Show’

A team of high school artists from Norton claimed the team title Friday at McCook Community College’s 51^st annual Paint-In Competition. Also the results of the Paint-In exhibition were announced and McCook High School’s Hanna Huff received this year’s “Best of Show” award.

Friday’s results were announced by MCC Art Instructor Rick Johnson. The event took place at the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center.

The judge for this year’s Paint-In Competition was Tatiana Young, of Holdrege, who earned her Associate of Fine Arts degree at McCook Community College in 2019. She went on to Hastings College and got a degree in K–12 Art Education. She began teaching in January 2021 at Walnut Middle School in Grand Island and later at Barr Middle School, where she continues to teach.

Young announced this year’s theme at 9 a.m., and teams had until noon to finish their work. The theme to this year’s competition was “Ripple Effect.”

There were 28 teams competing from 18 schools at Friday’s paint-in, including: Southwest, Chase County (two teams), Cambridge, Southern Valley (two teams), Norton, McCook (two teams), Hitchcock County (two teams), Sutherland, Ogallala (two teams), Wauneta-Palisade (two teams), Maywood (two teams), Dundy County (two teams), Wallace, Lexington (two teams), Arapahoe, Axtel, Decatur Community, Perkins County (two teams).

In addition to Norton winning first place, a Maywood’s Team 1 won second place, Ogallala’s Team 2 claimed third place and Cambridge received honorable mention.

Also on Friday, Johnson announced the winners of the Paint-In Exhibition competition. This year there were more than 280 individual art pieces from area high school students. Huff received the 2026 Best of Show award for her piece, “Jackie.”

Here are the rest of the winners of the Paint-In Exhibition:

BEST OF SHOW 2026 – Hannah Huff, “Jackie,” McCook.

PAINTING – Judge’s Choice: Emma Peterka, “Do you belong,” Maywood. 1. Emma Peterka, “Change” Maywood; 2. Lauren Quinn “Japanese Landscape,” Southern Valley; 3. Wendy Renteria, “Me,” Lexington.

DRAWNG CATEGORY 1 – Judge’s Choice: Joslyn Wyatt, “Shoes” Ogallala. 1. Joslyn Wyann, “All American,” Ogallala; 2. Addison Lozo, “A runner’s breakfast,” Southern Valley; 3. Ainsley Nickols, “Collection of Things,” Norton.

DRAWING CATEGORY 2 – Judge’s Choice: Paige Nickless, “Like a Record,” Chase County. 1. Rylan Emerson, “Spirit,” Norton; 2. Ali Sellers, “The Storyteller,” McCook; 3. Lorelei Granberry, “Dashes Dots, and Circles,” Norton.

PRINTS/PRINTMAKING – Judge’s Choice: Morgan Mapes, “Citrus Fun,” Norton. 1. McKenzie Witt, “Free Time,” McCook; 2. Clara Schmick, “Dragon Fly,” McCook; 3, Irmina Cramer, “Our Lady Envy,” Cambridge.

MIXED MEDIA – Judge’s Choice: Irmina Cramer “Self Portrait of Me,” Cambridge. 1. Jenna Wilkinson, “Every Knee will Box,” McCook; 2. Preston Horwart, “Nebraskaland,” Southern Valley; 3. Hanna Colglazer, “Bad Bones,” Perkins County.

3-DIMENSIONAL – Judge’s Choice: Miley Vigil, “Massimo’s Tic-Tac-Toe,” Perkins County. 1. Camila Hudson, “Music Man,” Southern Valley; 2. Madison Swensey, “Veurdon,” Perkins County; 3. Emma Peterka, “Sir Gentleman,” Maywood.

DIGITAL AND PHOTOGRAPHY – Judge’s Choice: Shie King, “Fish Trip-Treasure,” Southwest. 1. Shei King, “Fraud,” Southwest; 2. Camila Hudson, “In Memory of Oliver,” Southern Valley; 3. Madison Swesey, “Bob After Marvel Studios,” Perkins County.

PAINT-IN COMPETITION – 1. Norton Team 1; 2. Maywood Team 1; 3. Ogallala Team 2; Honorable Mention, Cambridge.