Each year the Sacramento County Academic Decathlon competition includes a student art contest. The Student Art Competition aims to weave the threads of artistry into academic fabric, selecting works that best represent the Academic Decathlon theme, and addresses concept, content, aesthetics, and design.
Outshining the competition, Collin Carruth—a ninth-grade student from El Camino High School in the San Juan Unified School District—claimed the coveted first place. His mixed media masterpiece, titled “Screenagers,” encapsulated the pervasive influence of technology on our lives and resonated most with a panel of judges for the 2023–24 theme, “Technology and Humanity.” Carruth, drawing from pop art influences, explained in his application, “I used pop art influences to reflect the heavy effect our culture has on us while also depicting the blank stare referenced earlier in a realistic manner.”
Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) Coordinator, Craig Irish, lauded the first-place student’s work, stating, “Collin’s artwork stood out for his portrayal of our everyday lives viewing screens, the use of colors, and the quality of his artwork.” Carruth’s triumph will be commemorated on stage at the Academic Decathlon Awards Ceremony, where he will receive a framed copy of this year’s captivating poster. The winning artwork was selected last fall and reproduced for posters, t-shirts, the program cover, and other printed materials throughout the decathlon season.
Not to be overshadowed, the runner-up, Meadow Castaneda—from Vista del Lago High School in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District—brought a unique perspective to the theme. Through her digital art entry, which focused on stained glass, she poignantly reflected on humanity’s journey from appreciating hand-crafted compositions to the stark simplicity of modern technology. Castaneda shared, “Our own advancements in technology have almost shattered our appreciation for detail. Humanity has surpassed our own expectations about technology, yet it is important to recognize the beauty of the past.”
As the curtains fall on this year’s Student Art Competition, the exquisite fusion of art and academia continues to unfold, setting the stage for the upcoming Sacramento County Academic Decathlon on Saturday, February 3, 2024—a celebration of intellect, creativity, and the enduring dance between technology and humanity.