For the first time in THS history a student has been chosen to participate in the Massachusetts Art All-State. Senior Chenylle Mercado along with 141 other competitively selected, budding Massachusetts artists attended this prestigious program.

"It was really fun to meet kids my age with similar talents," said Mercado.

Art All-State is a collaboration of the Worcester Art Museum and The Massachusetts Art Education Association. The goal of the program is to bring together students and professional artists from diverse disciplines to work in a studio setting and to allow students to work in collaboration with these artists and their peers from other schools in the Commonwealth.

"Everyone was so different and friendly," said Mercado. "It was interesting to hear so many other people's ideas."

Mercado submitted a self-portrait to the Worcester Art Museum in January of 2009. In March, she was interviewed and brought along two additional pieces. She picked them based on recommendations of Tyngsboro High School art teacher Miss Katherine Capistron and what Mercado believed displayed her talents. She received her acceptance letter in April and the program began in May.

At the program, students from schools ranging from Acton-Boxboro Regional High to Xaverian Brothers High converged with 16 professional artists and mentors in a two day collaborative art making process. Their large-scale projects came in the form of murals and whole rooms turned into masterpieces.

Artist/mentor Veronica Hebard said, “It was such a crazy weekend! It was very exciting working with so many motivated teens."

15 students and two professional artists made up Mercado's group. Each group used three materials in their compositions. Mercado's group used black ink, white paper, and carpet spools (long cardboard cylinders).

Mercado explained, "We made a path through the room that represented the journey of life and the obstacles you face. The way we represented the good and bad times was really cool."

She continues on to say, "I really liked working with all [the other students] to create something we all found meaningful. We compromised a lot so that in the end we ended up with something everyone was proud of."

Mercado said she had a great time at the 2009 Art-All State, and it also had the added benefit of looking good on applications of art schools she is applying to. In addition to being selected for the Massachusetts Art All-State, Mercado has also been awarded a Scholastic Silver Key Art Award.

Mercado plans to continue on in the path of art education and said this experience and the connections she's made will stay with her and help her to succeed.