Shooting Stars · 2013

Created in 1996 by Chairman Emeritus Robert Endres, a then member of the Board for the Arts and Humanities Association of Johnson County, the Shooting Stars Program is one of the few initiatives in the community to honor high school students and their arts educators for artistic excellence in the literary, performing, and visual arts through recognition, scholarships and awards.


Sponsored by the Arts Council of Johnson County

Created in 1996 by Chairman Emeritus Robert Endres, a then member of the Board for the Arts and Humanities Association of Johnson County, the Shooting Stars Program is one of the few initiatives in the community to honor high school students and their arts educators for artistic excellence in the literary, performing, and visual arts through recognition, scholarships and awards.

With the help of generous contributors and program partners including Johnson County Community College, the Performing Arts Series, the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, the Arts Ambassadors and the dedicated staff and volunteers of the Arts Council of Johnson County, the program continues to grow. Since its creation, the Shooting Stars Program has recognized 1,000 high school seniors and awarded over $200,000 in college scholarships and almost $65,000 in teacher honorariums.

To participate in the Program, twelfth grade students must be nominated by their respective high school arts teacher and also be a resident of Johnson County, KS. Once nominated, Finalists then audition or submit a portfolio of work for review by independent judges. All participating teachers and students are honored and scholarship recipients announced at the Annual Shooting Stars Gala in the spring.

With the ongoing support of the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, works by the visual arts finalists will be exhibited annually in the Museum. Bruce Hartman,Executive Director, Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, along with Kent Smith, museum coordinator, selected one work from each of the finalists for exhibition in the Museum. We hope you enjoy this year’s exhibition.

The Arts Council of Johnson County enhances the quality of life in the community by strengthening the arts.