Last week, Mt. Hood Community College held a reception for the college's Regional Annual High School Art exhibit, which runs through Thursday, April 24. Sandy High School students took home four of nine total awards, including Alyssa "Ace" Ortiz, who won first place for Emergence of a Personal Vision. The other award winners were:

When asked about her award, Alyssa said, "In general, being recognized for an award in such a way, especially for something as complex yet beautiful as art, is amazing and very encouraging. Seeing people express their ideas and opinions over my art is something unique, and being awarded for the emergence of personal vision affirms that idea that art can transgress from person to person and share ideas and passions. For me personally, I found it liberating to be recognized for something that I'm passionate about and hope to continue to share and represent in art."