14-02-2025
Mt. Juliet's Jasmine Paco named The Tennessean Student of the Week for artists
The Tennessean asked schools from across Middle Tennessee to nominate their most artistic students for this week's student of the week feature.
We got nominations for painters and sculptors and everything in between, but at the end of the week, there can only be one winner and your votes decide who comes out on top.
This week, Jasmine Paco, a senior from Mt. Juliet High School, was the top student in our poll, securing more than 6,500 votes to secure the victory.
Paco has always been passionate about art, her nominator wrote. She has always found a connection to all forms of artistic expression and upon entering high school, immediately joined the art club. It and Honors Art 3 have both helped her to experiment with new mediums while expanding her artistic range, the nominator wrote.
Paco credits her experiences in the classroom for fueling an interest in continuing her education beyond high school. She hopes to attend college and major in art education, she said.
'I would love to get to be a part of someone else's journey and mentor others, just as my teachers have inspired me,' she said.
Each week during the school year, The Tennessean asks Middle Tennessee high school principals, guidance counselors, teachers and staff to send us their nominees for Student of the Week. We then let you, the reader, decide who deserves the title by voting in our weekly poll
Next week's poll will launch Monday and it will feature students who showcase the best school spirt. Voting will take place through noon on Thursday, Feb. 20.
We believe everyone who gets nominated for our Student of the Week feature is a winner. Here are the other three students who were also in the running for this week's title:
Arabella Baldassano, Rossview High School
The senior is an artist who is talented in a variety of mediums including painting, drawing, fashion, and fibers. She not only crochets her own clothes but uses them as subject matter in her original paintings and drawings. Baldassano is the founding President of our National Art Honors Society and has just received a Regional Scholastic Art Award. She has received scholarships opportunities from various outstanding art schools throughout the country and her teachers are excited to see what she does next!
Bethany N'Dri, Hunters Lane High School
She is not only talented, but resourceful and dedicated to service. N'Dri is a member of the JROTC, Cross-Country Team, DECA, and Debate team. She is also enrolled in several art classes and full International Baccalaureate coursework.
Ker Deng, Hunters Lane High School
Deng is a talented artist whose passion and dedication to their craft has earned them prestigious recognition, including the Scholastic Gold Key Award and the distinguished honor of being an American Visionary Nominee. With an exceptional ability to translate emotion and storytelling into her artwork, Deng consistently produces pieces that captivate and inspire.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Mt. Juliet's Jasmine Paco wins The Tennessean Student of the Week
