ST. MARY’S STUDENTS EARN HALF OF THE AWARDS IN REGIONAL ART COMPETITION
Of the 39 entries in the Oregon Regional Affiliate program of the The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards of 2008, St. Mary’s Academy students received 20 awards – more than half of those offered. “We are proud of this wonderful accomplishment because the Sisters of the Holy Names value teaching creativity and self-expression through the fine arts,” says Pat Barr, principal. “Our commitment to educate the ‘whole person’ has remained strong through the past 148 years.”
Gold Key Awards went to Natalie Ebaugh – Neon Knot Necklace, jewelry, and Skin, digital photograph; Kiki Stephenson – Erika, oil painting, Man, oil painting, and Frustrated Dancer, watercolor; Kristin Koop - Self Portrait, charcoal, and Ballet, acrylic painting; and Allegra Villella - Once Upon a Story, digital photograph.
Silver Keys were awarded to Tegan Firth - Crazed, black/white photograph, and Shelby, black/white photo collage; Kristin Ataras – Perspectives, color photograph; and Li Mattson – Team Spirit , black/white photograph.
Honorable Mentions went to Tegan Firth - Photography Portfolio; Kiki Stephenson – Color Study of Tree in Fall, oil painting, Blue and Orange Still Life II, oil painting, and Adjusted Cubism, oil painting; Kristin Koop – Stepping Out of the Shade, mixed media, and Rhythm, acrylic painting; and Li Mattson – I See You, black/white photograph, and Hold on Tight, black/white photograph.
“I am very proud of the recognition these awards give to the artistic talents of our students,” says Mitchell. “Theydemonstrate the quality of our art program, and provide incentive for other students to takeart classes and participate in the program in the future.These recognition awards boost self esteem and confidence in the recipients and put them in a league with well known artists who achieved awards at their age. For the size of our school, we can be proud of our students and the regional awards we received.”
Approximately 30,000 young artists and writers from across the United States receive recognition on the regional level of The Awards. The most outstanding works of art and writing from each of the Regional Affiliate programs—Gold Keys—are forwarded to New York City to be assessed on a national level. Last year, panels of professional jurors reviewed more than 6,165 works of art and 1,268 manuscripts to select the 1,160 national award recipients.
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards offer early recognition of creative teenagers and scholarship opportunities for graduating high-school seniors. The Awards are national in scope and administered by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. The process begins across the country as young artists and writers submit creative works of art and writing to a network of affiliate programs of the Alliance who share the Alliance’s vision to inspire the next generation of artists and writers.
The selection panels for both the regional and national levels of The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards include professional artists, writers, curators, critics, educators and professionals from the nation’s leading creative industries, some of whom are past award recipients. Notable past jurors include: Robert Frost, William Saroyan, Frank McCourt, Kiki Smith, George Plimpton, Korva Coleman, Esmeralda Santiago, Tatiana von Furstenberg, and Bill Murray. Panelists look for works that best exemplify originality, technical proficiency and the emergence of an authentic voice and vision.
Founded in 1859 by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, St. Mary’s Academy of Portland, is Oregon’s oldest continuously secondary school and one of 716 all-female schools in the country. The student body represents a diverse background of young women from over 30 urban, suburban, and rural communities in Oregon and Southwest Washington. St. Mary’s Academy is distinguished by its development of the whole person and is the only school in the state to receive three U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools awards.
