LAPEER, Michigan – Dave Piontkowski, a percussionist with concert and symphony bands at Lapeer East High School, has been named a Michigan Youth Arts Distinguished Scholar and invited to participate in the 52nd annual Michigan Youth Arts Festival, May 8-10, 2014, in Kalamazoo.

Nearly 1,000 Michigan high school student-artists have been invited to attend this year’s Festival. The students, chosen from more than 250,000 across the state, are selected via a rigorous adjudication process adhering to exacting artistic standards. The invited scholars represent multiple artistic disciplines, including creative writing, dance, media arts, instrumental and vocal music, music composition, theatre, and visual art.

“Michigan Youth Arts is honored to host this annual event because it not only encourages artistic excellence at the high school level, but also creates an awareness of the importance of art in the lives of Michigan residents,” said Marianne Dorais, Executive Director. “The extraordinary talent of our Distinguished Scholars, whether as vocalists, actors, dancers, musicians or artists, is something of which the entire state can be proud.”

2014 marks the 52nd anniversary of this three-day event, featuring workshops and master classes for the students, alongside more than 20 student performances and exhibitions that are open to the public.

About Michigan Youth Arts

Michigan Youth Arts is an alliance of 16 statewide education associations that work together collaboratively to develop high quality arts education programming, recognize the contributions of valuable teachers, and provide advocacy resources for parents, educators and policymakers. The Michigan Youth Arts Festival is an annual showcase that recognizes, supports, and celebrates the artistic excellence of young artists in Michigan.

For more information, please visit michiganyoutharts.org.