CHEYENNE, Wyo. – June 30, 2026 – The Wyoming Arts Council, in partnership with the Wyoming State Museum and the Wyoming Secondary Art Educators Association, is pleased to announce the 10 student artworks selected for a special America 250 exhibition at the Wyoming State Capitol.
The America 250 category was presented as part of the Wyoming State Art Symposium, an annual statewide exhibition celebrating the artistic achievements of Wyoming students and educators. Created as part of Wyoming's America 250 commemoration, the category invited Wyoming high school artists to reflect on the theme "Reflecting America: Past, Present, and Future." Through a wide range of artistic perspectives and mediums, students explored American identity, history, culture, and aspirations while contributing to the national commemoration of the United States Semiquincentennial.
"The America 250 category encouraged students to engage with the ideas, stories, and experiences that have shaped our nation while considering the role they will play in its future," said Amara Fehring, community development and arts learning specialist with the Wyoming Arts Council.
The winning works were selected through a jury process using a rubric developed by the Wyoming Secondary Art Educators Association's America 250 committee, which included Robin Hengesteg, Casey Van Sickle, and Richard Knox II. Entries were evaluated by a panel of arts professionals including Valerie Innella Maiers, visual arts instructor at Casper College and Wyoming Arts Council board member; Justin Hayward, visual artist and visual arts instructor at Casper College; and Laura Hunter, executive director of Art 321.
The selected works are:
- Celebrate United States — Collaborations Advanced Ceramics, Central High School
- Hope for the Future — Elana Schilthuis, Lovell High School
- Together We Stand Proud — Diana Castilla Trejo, Jackson Hole High School
- When Two Worlds Collide — McKenna Klindt, Star Valley High School
- One Nation Under God — McKenna Klindt, Star Valley High School
- Freedom — Serenity Markert, Hulett High School
- Legacies — Kynleigh Davis, Cokeville High School
- Memories of the Past — Isaiah Stewart Walker, East High School
- Fallen Horses — Jessa Smith, Hulett High School
- Our Future Is in the Past — Jenna Lowham, Evanston High School
“As we celebrate the semiquincentennial, we are thrilled to showcase the work of Wyoming’s young artists in the State Capitol,” said Nathan Doerr, Capitol curator with the Wyoming State Museum. “These students are contributing their own voices and perspectives to the story of our nation, and it is an honor to provide a prominent public venue where their creativity can be experienced by visitors from across Wyoming and beyond.”
The exhibition will be on display in the Wyoming State Capitol Gallery in Cheyenne through Aug. 8, 2026. The exhibition is free and open to the public.
Figure 1: Celebrate United States, a collaborative ceramics work created by Advanced Ceramics students at Central High School, received first place in the America 250 category at the Wyoming State Art Symposium.
Contact: Amara Fehring, (307) 630-3918; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.