Three young Beaumont artists are getting to see their work in the national spotlight. Current École Secondaire Beaumont Composite High School (ESBCHS) students Emily Bayer, Hannah Walter and alumnus Abbey Nyman teamed up to create an award for the organization Youthful Cities, which recently named Edmonton the best place in Canada for youth to work.

In January, Youthful Cities approached ESBCHS Arts teacher Melissa Baron to explore the possibility of a student-designed award. Baron recruited Bayer and Walter, along with Nyman, who has also recently completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Alberta. The trio presented the award to Edmonton’s mayor at a ceremony in early February.

In their explanation of the design, the artists say they tried to capture the essence of how young people see Edmonton. “The nurturing cradle of the hands represents the youth’s influence on a prosperous city,” they said in a statement. They also elaborated on their choice of colour scheme. “We used bright, vibrant colours to breathe life into the sculpture, and depict the energy of the city.”

The trio put in long hours over the course of five days to make their vision come to life. Baron says she is proud of the girls’ work ethic. “Art is not often a team sport and so for these three to make this happen in such a short time frame indicates a special level of commitment and positivity.”