Shooting Stars · 2024

Sponsored by the Arts Council of Johnson County

a group of high school students wearing nice clothes look at artwork on display at the Nerman Museum

Created in 1997, 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 a community initiative 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 Midwest Trust Center, the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, the Arts Ambassadors and the dedicated board, staff, and volunteers of the Arts Council of Johnson County, the program continues to grow. Since its creation, the Shooting Stars Program has recognized over 1,000 high school seniors and awarded more than $400,000 in college scholarships and $70,000 in teacher awards.

To participate in the Program, 12th grade students must be nominated by their high school arts teacher and be a resident of Johnson County, Kan. 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.

This year, students honored in the Shooting Stars Program have been nominated by arts faculty members from high schools in the Blue Valley, De Soto, Gardner-Edgerton, Mill Valley, Olathe, Shawnee Mission and Spring Hill School Districts, Heritage Christian Academy, Kansas City Christian High School, Maranatha Academy, Notre Dame de Sion High School, Pembroke Hill Upper School, Saint James Academy, and Saint Thomas Aquinas High School.

With the ongoing support of the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, works by the visual arts finalists are exhibited annually in the Museum. Whitney Williamson, Museum Registrar, and Andrew Schell, Chief Preparator and Exhibition Designer, 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.

Arts Council of Johnson County Board of Directors

  • Jennifer Wampler, President
  • Matthew Walter, Vice-president
  • Joe Waters, Treasurer
  • Jeff Serven, Secretary
  • JoAnne Northrup
  • Jasmine Thompson
  • Julie Karins, Board Liaison

Advisory Board

  • Hannes Zacharias, Chair
  • Emily Behrmann
  • Lonita Cook
  • Donna Davis
  • Angi Hejduk
  • Cheryl Kimmi
  • Dana Knapp
  • Bonnie Limbird
  • Kelly Seward
  • Casey Wilhm

Chairman Emeritus

  • Robert G. Endres

Arts Ambassadors

  • Gerald Baird
  • Lynne & Peter Brown
  • Terry Calaway
  • Linda Carlsen
  • Richard Carrothers & Dennis Hennessy
  • Eileen Cohen
  • Joni Cohen
  • Mark Gilman
  • Pam & Gary Gradinger
  • Shirley & Barnett Helzberg
  • Linda & Topper Johntz
  • David Kiersznowski
  • Diana & Len Kline
  • Demi Lloyd
  • Kay Martin
  • Lee & Carl McCaffree
  • Pat & Beth McCown
  • Larry Meeker
  • Susan & Lewis Nerman
  • Marti & Tony Oppenheimer
  • Ann & Bob Regnier
  • Mary Tearney

Scholarship Categories

  • Literature
  • Photography
  • Strings
  • Theatre Performance
  • Production & Design
  • Three-dimensional Art
  • Two-dimensional Art
  • Voice Classical
  • Winds & Percussion