Art students at Walton High School have been named the grand prize winners of the National "Water Is Life" Classroom mural contest for grades 9-12. The contest, inspired by the growing demands on U.S. water resources, drew more than 9,000 students across 45 states. Participating students painted 50 square foot murals depicting the range of habitats and uses for water throughout the United States. Over 35 students at Walton High School worked on the mural. Program organizers hope the process of interpreting water-based habitats through art will lead students to a greater understanding of their role as future caretakers of the resource.  

The WHS Visual Art program includes Visual Art Comprehensive classes through AP Studio Art Classes under the direction of Ms. Kathleen Petka. A Walton High School graduate, Ms. Petka has been teaching at Walton since 2004. She won Cobb County's High School Visual Art Specialist award for The 2014-2015 school year. In addition, she was named Outstanding National Art Honor Society Sponsor of the Year for 2014 by the National Art Education Association at the National Convention in San Diego, California.

"The Girl In White" by Christina Voss

WHS students' artwork has been displayed throughout the state and country in the Georgia Capitol, U.S. Capitol, Atlanta's U.S. Department of Treasury, and the Dogwood Festival. Their work has won state-wide competitions, has been featured on Marta buses throughout Atlanta, and has been honored in NAHS and NAEA News Publications

The WHS National Art Honor Society shows art has a heart and is actively involved in giving back to the community through art. Recognizing the power of art therapy, NAHS students are learning to have compassion, respect, and empathy for the elderly, a growing population that is frequently overlooked. NAHS students have painted with residents of Golden Living, a skilled nursing and sub-acute rehabilitation facility and with residents at the Sunrise Assisted Living Facility. They also volunteer their time with the non-profit organization Foundation for Hospital Art by painting second layers of paint on canvases that will later be displayed in hospitals throughout the world, making the world a more aesthetically pleasing place.