Christian students from across the state showed off their artistic sides Thursday at the annual Golden State Association of Christian Schools' annual Fine Arts Competition, held at Valley Christian Academy in Santa Maria.

Valley Christian hosted more than 365 junior high and high school students, who competed in areas ranging from painting and photography to singing and chess and even a Bible quiz.

“The goal is to try to help young people develop their skills and kind of give them avenues to compete with other kids,” Valley Christian Principal Charles Mason said.

The GSACS is the state affiliation of the American Association of Christian Schools, which includes most Christian schools in the United States.

The Fine Arts Competition began about 18 years ago in an effort to encourage excellence in fine arts and bring together Christian students from around the nation in friendly competition, Mason said.

During the state competition - which began Thursday and ends today - Christian school students from San Diego to San Jose and San Francisco are competing for spots in the AACS Fine Arts Competition, which will take place three weeks from now at Bob Jones University in South Carolina.

Only kids who place first in their category in the state competition will go to the national competition, and on Thursday, it was

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apparent that the talent among the contestants runs deep.

In the visual arts room, judge Cindy Mudgett said picking a winner would not be easy.

“We've already got stumped on a few, but we're just beginning,” she laughed.

Another judge, Kimberly Silva, marveled over a water color of the Golden Gate Bridge, painted by a student in junior high.

“Look at the perspective on that,” she said.

Meanwhile, Valley Christian students Rojelio Paniagua, a senior, and Samantha Rivas, a sophomore, sat at a table awaiting the start of the choir competition that they would both be participating in.

Rogelio had just finished the band competition.

“We did really well,” he said. “Choir, I'm a little bit nervous about.”

In the gym directly behind Rogelio and Samantha, the Bible quiz was in full swing.

Three teams sat in front of a panel of judges.

“Who did God raise from the dead?” one judge asked the students.

In short order, the team from La Mesa Christian School in San Diego came up with the correct answer, Jesus Christ.

Natalie Ragus can be reached at 347-4580 or nragus@santamariatimes.com.

March 7, 2008