Grossmont High Sophomore Catches Waves—and Art Award at Mall

Sophomore Luke Chapman, whose ocean sunset photo won a $100 Superintendent’s Purchase Award, wasn’t at Westfield Parkway Shopping Center on Friday afternoon for the kickoff of a three-day student art show. But his print—The End of a Good Day—gave a clue where he was. Gone surfing.

So said his photography teacher, Eileen Mandell of Grossmont High School. She was an organizer of the 25-year-old Grossmont Union High School District show, held for about 18 years at the El Cajon mall—in the corridor leading to J.C Penney.

With schools Superintendent Ralf Swenson on hand to pick three Purchase Awards for display in the district offices near Grossmont High School, more than 300 works of art—including sculpture, ceramics and mixed media—attracted attention of shoppers. 

The mall also offered special discounts timed for the three-day exhibit, Mandell said. And Pat & Oscar’s donated dozens of breadsticks for the debut.

Other winners of Purchase Awards were Valhalla’s Andrew Peacock for his photo Burning Imagination and El Cajon Valley’s Adrian Sanches for his photo Inverted Perfection.  Other prizes were dropped this year, Mandell said, after art teachers decided to make the event featuring all district high schools an exhibition instead of a competition.

The Friends of East County Arts Inc. underwrote costs of the event, providing display cases and fresh boards for hanging art. Judy Godde, the group’s president has a background in fashion and is engaged to marry an art gallery director.

 “I am thrilled with the creativity of these kids,” Godde said. “Seeing what they have developed—what they can do, and being encouraged to do it—is awesome.”