Shooting Stars · 2026

Sponsored by the Arts Council of Johnson County

two museum patrons view the shooting stars exhibition at the Nerman

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 one of a 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 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, twelfth grade students must be nominated by their high school arts teacher and be a resident of Johnson County, Kansas. 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 are announced at the Annual Shooting Stars Gala in spring.

This year, the students honored in the Shooting Stars Program represent a range of local schools and school districts, with nominations coming from the Blue Valley, De Soto, Gardner-Edgerton, Mill Valley, Olathe, Shawnee Mission, and Spring Hill School districts as well as The Barstow School, Heritage Christian Academy, Kansas City Christian High School, Notre Dame De Sion, Saint James Academy, and Saint Thomas Aquinas High School.

The Shooting Stars Program runs with the ongoing support of the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, and we are proud to exhibit works by the visual arts finalists, annually. Martina Michelova, Visitor Services Supervisor, served as one of the judges for Shooting Stars submissions, and Whitney Williamson, Museum Registrar, and Bailey McCulloch, Assistant Museum Registrar, selected artwork from each of the finalists for inclusion in Shooting Stars · 2026.

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

Governing Board

  • Emily Behrmann, President
  • Matthew Walter, Vice-president
  • Jeff Serven, Treasurer
  • JoAnne Northrup, Secretary
  • Aaron Otto, Board Liaison
  • Deb Settle
  • Monica Tiffany
  • Hannes Zacharias

Advisory Board

  • Bonnie Limbird, Chair
  • Lorece Chanelle
  • Enrique Chi
  • Lonita Cook
  • Donna Davis
  • James Green
  • Angi Hejduk
  • Cheryl Kimmi
  • Dana Knapp
  • Kelly Seward

Chairman Emeritus

  • Robert G. Endres

Arts Ambassadors

  • Gerald Baird
  • Lynne & Peter Brown
  • Terry Calaway
  • Linda & Chuck 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
  • 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 and Percussion