Melissa Albrecht of Port O’Connor was recognized as 3rd place winner, statewide, of the International Aviation Art Contest. Pictured with Melissa is Nick McIntyre, Calhoun High School art teacher.

Melissa Albrecht, a student at Calhoun High School in Port Lavaca was the third place winner in the statewide competition for an entry in the 2011 International Aviation Art Contest. Melissa competed in the 14- to 17-year-old category.

Melissa, age 17, received a certificate and was recognized for artist talent during the 29th Annual Texas Aviation conference held in Austin this week.
The theme was “50 Years of Human Space Flight”.

Entries were judged in one of three age groups, 6-9 years old, 10-13 years old, and 14-17 years old. This year, 1200 students and 59 schools participated in the art contest statewide. Calhoun County Airport submitted 352 of those entries following their local annual art contest which is structured after the International Aviation Art contest.

The annual International Aviation Art contest is sponsored by National Aeronautic Association, supported by the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, in association with the National Association of State Aviation Officials, National Coalition for Aviation Education, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), and the National Business Aviation Association Inc (NBAA).

Ken Cook co. designed and printed the brochure.

The art contest is designed to motivate and encourage young people of FAI-member nations to become more familiar with and participate in aeronautics, engineering and science.
The 29th Annual Aviation conference was co-hosted by the Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Airports Council and Texas Aviation Association. Participants included airport managers, city and county officials, the FAA and others interested in aviation in Texas.

For more information call the TxDOT Aviation Division at (512) 416-4508.
-Jasmine Gordon
Texas Department of Transportation’s web site: www.txdot.gov