The 2024 granite school district art olympics took place Wednesday March 13th at Granger high school west valley city, utah. 

No Cyprus students placed in any category. 

Unlike most art competitions the students were not judged on their final piece, instead being judged on the process of the art. Many students were only visited by a judge in the first of four hours. One Cyprus student, Hope Wilkinson, was not visited by a judge at all. 

To make matters worse, Cyprus students were not informed about the way in which they were being judged. Alyssa Mecham said “ I found out we were being graded on the process only after the 4 hour time limit was over.”

Cyprus student participants were not happy with the judging process Wilkinson who had previously participated in the competition included “They didn't do that last year and everyone has a different process so it made me personally feel like a joke. They should have graded the way they were supposed to…They turned the Art Olympics into a joke this year because of how they judged.”

Mecham was quoted saying “It made me really upset because I spent all that time stressing out and trying to get my art piece done and it was for nothing. I really don't know why they even had a time limit or had people come with ideas if they were only judging the process and not the finished piece.”

Not only that but the judges were apparently not transparent with students about why they were walking around. Mecham said “the judges were walking around the whole time watching us but we were told not to worry since they were ‘only watching’ and ‘not judging’ which turned out to be a lie told to me and others by someone helping with the event. I have been complaining to the school board since because that was legitimately one of the worst art experiences of my life.”

Students had the opportunity to compete in one of nine categories: Black and white drawing, color drawing, concept or digital art, opaque painting, watercolor, mixed media, sculpture, hand built ceramics and wheel thrown ceramics. 

Each category was awarded 3 places, including an audience favorite award and best over all of the show. The school with the most winners was Olympus high school, with ten winners.