Free State High School student Eddy Presswood won a Gold Key Award in the category of art portfolio for a range of work, including the piece pictured above, at the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

Student artists at Free State and Lawrence high schools have been catching the eyes of art contest judges this semester.

Both schools fared well at the regional level of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and three LHS seniors in photography – Alyssa Thiel, Dylan Smith and Kristin Penny – won national honors and are invited to New York in June to accept their awards at Carnegie Hall.

“I am extremely proud of my students and watch them work countless hours before and after school to finish projects,” says Angelia Perkins, photo instructor at Lawrence High School. “It is incredible when students who work so hard get recognized for their achievements.”

At the regional level, 600 Gold Key Awards were selected from approximately 5,000 submissions. Several dozen of those winners were from Lawrence.

“It is very competitive, and we are so proud of the students who chose to enter this prestigious competition,” says Carolyn Berry, Free State High School art teacher.

Since 1923, The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have recognized more than 2.5 million young artists and writers, and distributed more than $25 million in awards and scholarships. They’ve also showcased early work from some of the country’s most accomplished artists and writers, including Richard Avedon, Truman Capote, Cy Twombly and Andy Warhol.

“Although the students understand that these types of contests are very competitive and that winning isn’t everything, it brings pride to each of the students and gives them reassurance that what they are doing is important,” Perkins says. ” Sometimes the awards that these students achieve are what gets them one more step towards a positive future.”

Award winners

Gold Key Award-winners from Lawrence High School

Teacher: Wendy Vertacnik

¢ Courtney Knight, painting, “The Mirror Trick”
¢ Laura Carley, painting, “Dispute Among Twins”
¢ Genevieve Busby, art portfolio
¢ Lily Boyce, painting, “Light”
¢ Alex Kim, printmaking, “Myself”
¢ Abhimanyu Sandal, art portfolio

Teacher: Angelia Perkins

¢ Kristin Penny, master photography portfolio award
¢ Matt Avila, “Willierose” and “Sea Shells”
¢ Caitlin Bowlin, “Sterling” and “Evan”
¢ Sam Claypool, “End of the Line,” “Les Toilets” and “Veterans Day”
¢ Lillian Duermeier, “Inhale + Exhale”
¢ Kara Kellison, “Hay Feather”
¢ Katie Kennedy, “Circle of Life,” “Opposites Attract” and “Walking Amongst the Rafters”
¢ Briana Lewis, “Gravel Road” and “Ponder”
¢ Julia Park, “Untitled”
¢ Kristin Penny, “Two Halves of Bucky”
¢ Malory Hughes-Pfeifer, “Little Cherries” and “Pear of Cherries”
¢ Dylan Smith, “Suddenly Sarah,” “Suddenly Sarah #2” and “Suddenly Sarah #3”
¢ Stefanie Stuever, “Staring Contest” and “Sisters”
¢ Rose Tarman, “Disintegrated Lives” and “Greed”
¢ Alyssa Thiel, “Clothesline,” “July” and “Who’s There?”

Gold Key Award-winners from Free State High School

Teacher: Carolyn Berry

¢ Eddy Presswood, art portfolio
¢ Sammy Wheeler, computer art
¢ Heidi TenPas, mixed media
¢ Margarita Luevano, graphic design

Teacher: Laurie McLane-Higginson

¢ Kacey Clements, ceramics
¢ Emily Ferrier, ceramics

Teacher: Marsha Poholsky

¢ Sarah Rew, digital imagery