Gatlinburg-Pittman High School students Alexa Alana, Poonam Patel, and Nidhi Mehta display their Cades Cove created for the Find Your Park Movement. Photo courtesy of Great Smoky Mountains National Park Service.

GATLINBURG, TN -- As a part of National Park Week, April 18-26, local art students at Gatlinburg-Pittman High School (GPHS) have created water colors paintings of their favorite parks which were recently on display at Sugarlands Visitor Center and Park Headquarters. Additionally, students have created posters to line the halls of GPHS highlighting their favorite parts of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Each watercolor landscape painting features one of America's National Parks in honor of National Park Week. Each student selected a park unit from across the nation including their hometown Great Smoky Mountains National Park and far off places like American Samoa National Park. Students created a watercolor image of a unique scene that reflected parks and also included a short piece on how they found their park.

The posters lining the halls of GPHS allow the students, faculty, and staff to see and learn about different parts of the Smokies. From Cataloochee in North Carolina to Cades Cove in Tennessee, each student or group chose a portion of the Smokies that meant something to them or their families. The following places are featured at GPHS: Tremont and Abrams Falls by Angel Chaffin, Chimney Tops by Rochelle Guenther, Cataloochee by Sterling Fisher, Grotto Falls by Jaynie Renfro and Abby Fortner, Cades Cove by Nidhi Mehta, Alexa Alana, and Poonam Patel.

"I think the students have done a beautiful job with their posters! They have carefully selected perfect images to entice students and teachers here in our school to find time to visit the park,” said GPHS Art Teacher Alice Fisher. “Our goal was to remind the staff and student body about how lucky we are to live so near the National Park, and to encourage everyone to take appreciate the beauty of the Smokies, especially during National Park Week."

The following select pieces are on display at Sugarlands Visitor Center: Fire Island National Seashore by Bonnie Morris, Glacier Bay National Park by Mackinley McMahan, Grand Tetons National Park by Stephen Muszik, and Congaree National Park by Abigail Galiano.

The following select pieces are on display at Park Headquarters: American Samoa National Park by Jojo Trees, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park by Simone Reim, Channel Islands National Park by Charles Smith, Timucuan Ecological Historic Preserve by Elayna Shaw, Great Smoky Mountains National Park by Kaylie Clevenger, and Kings Canyon National Park by Katherine Miller.

“Find Your Park” is also the theme for this year’s National Park Week, April 18 – 26. “National Park Week is a time for visitors, of all ages, to get out and experience their national parks, especially the Great Smoky Mountains,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash, “I hope during the National Park Week and over the next year as we celebrate the National Park Service’s second century, everyone will take the opportunity to Find Your Park.” This year, the park, will offer annual special programs during National Park Week and a variety of special activities in conjunction with Find Your Park.

Visit www.NationalParkWeek.org to learn more about how you can join parks, programs, and partners in celebrating National Park Week across the country.

Quotes from Students about their favorite places in Great Smoky Mountains National Park:

-- Angel Chaffin, Tremont: "Tremont has always had a special place in my heart since I stayed there in ​the fifth grade. This summer I am completing a Citizen Science Internship at Tremont."

-- Rochelle Guenther, Chimney Tops: "I have always loved the hike to the top of the Chimney Tops. ​The view there is spectacular!"

-- Sterling Fisher, Cataloochee: "My family has visited Cataloochee many times since I was very ​young. I enjoy visiting there because of the cultural history evident in the valley from the time ​before the area was part of the national park, and the elk are fascinating."

-- Jaynie Renfro and Abby Fortner, Grotto Falls: "Grotto Falls is a beautiful waterfall year-round. It ​is always fun to walk behind the fall and search for salamanders."

-- Nigh Mehta, Cades Cove: "No matter what time of year, Cades Cove holds so much beauty. I love to ​spend a nice day there with my family."

-- Alexa Alana, Cades Cove: "Cades Cove is my favorite place because my family and I always go there to ​experience the beautiful views. When I was younger, we would bike through the path and that ​gradually became my favorite past time."

-- Poona Patel, Cades Cove: "Cades Cove is filled with so many beautiful views and it is a perfect place ​to visit anytime with friends and family."

-- Alice Fisher, Faculty Sponsor of the school chapter of Friends of the Smokies: "I think the ​students have done a beautiful job with their posters! They have carefully selected perfect ​images to entice students and teachers here in our school to find time to visit the park. Many of ​the teachers have remarked to me how much they enjoy the posters. I only wish we could have ​had enough of them to place one on every classroom door! Our goal was to remind the staff and ​student body about how lucky we are to live so near the National Park, and to encourage ​everyone to take appreciate the beauty of the Smokies, especially during National Park Week."

-- Alice Fisher, Ramsey Cascades: "Ramsey Cascades has always been one of my favorite hikes because ​it is fairly strenuous, but the reward at the end of the trail is well worth the effort! The waterfall ​is incredible! I also enjoy the section of the trail that goes through old growth forest with HUGE ​tulip poplars."