Vote online for your favorite ‘Welcome to Nevada’ signs through April 22
CARSON CITY, Nev. — Vote for your favorite “Welcome to Nevada” highway signs online at Travel Nevada.com/pages/sign-contest through April 22. Voters will choose four winning designs, each of which will be the basis of new welcome signs set to be installed on Nevada’s roadways beginning in summer 2016.
The signs were designed by Nevada high school artists through a contest organized by the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, under the direction of Gov. Brian Sandoval and in partnership with the Nevada Department of Education and the Nevada Department of Transportation. The contest was conducted through Nevada’s high schools and focused on students enrolled in Career and Technical Education graphic arts courses, although each school was able to determine eligibility.
“We are impressed with the quality of work and with the creativity exhibited by Nevada’s young artists,” Claudia Vecchio, Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs director, said. “We are excited to share the top entries with the public and to let them choose which signs best welcome visitors to our state.”
The contest sought to develop signs for four Nevada regions: northwest, northeast, southwest and southeast. Because of the natural and cultural diversity of the state, different signs were needed to best represent each region. All signs will have a uniform look, however, as all entries had to comply with the guidelines of the state brand, Nevada: A World Within. A State Apart.
Finalists for the northwest region (region 1) are Anahi Romero, a junior at Fernley High School; and Chanlee Harvey and Matthew Henson, both seniors at Fernley High.
Finalists for the northeast region (region 2) are Emma Harris, a senior at the Academy of Arts, Careers and Technology in Reno; Mike Doyle, a senior at Spring Creek High School; and Natanael Campos, a freshman at North Valleys High School in Reno.
Finalists for the southwest region (region 3) are Ann Nicole Tang, a junior at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts; Daisy Diaz, a junior at Southeast Career Technical Academy in Las Vegas; and Luke Tedesco, a sophomore at West Career and Technical Academy in Las Vegas.
Finalists for the southeast region (region 4) are Bryan Krantz, a junior at Southwest Career and Technical Academy in Las Vegas; Brynne McMurray, a senior at Moapa Valley High School in Overton; and Ethan Smedley, a sophomore at Moapa Valley High School.
Announced March 1, the contest had schools submit entries in early April. A selection committee comprised of members of the Nevada departments of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and Transportation, as well as graphic artist professionals and educators, chose finalists the week of April 11.
The Nevada Division of Tourism (Travel Nevada) is part of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. It promotes and markets Nevada as a tourism destination for domestic and international leisure and business travelers through its marketing and advertising programs and by coordinating partnerships between public and private entities. Travel Nevada also administers grant programs for local entities to market travel and tourism offerings and publishes Nevada Magazine.