Lakewood Schools Excel In Cleveland Institute Of Art Scholastic Art Contest

LAKEWOOD, OH — Lakewood High School, West Shore Career-Tech’s Media Art & Design program and Harding Middle School students received some well-deserved recognition — earning more than 40 honors, including 11 of the highest honors, in this year's Scholastic Art & Writing Awards regional competition. Combined, Lakewood and West Tech students took home a whopping 44 recognitions.

Winners of a Gold Key, the highest honor given, are Kaylee Banhidy, Garrett Bodnar, Micah Inak, Faiza Manaa, Sara McMillen, Elyza Mihalski, Balint Muller (double winner), Ava Olic, Maya O’Reilly and Maya Sutliff. Gold Key winners move on to be judged at the national level of the 93-year-old competition. Only one other high school in the region had more Gold Keys awarded.

Lakewood and West Shore students were also heavily represented at the Silver Key and Honorable Mention levels. Eleven students won 13 Silver Keys, including two by Jessica Paul and Jueun Lee. Nineteen students earned Honorable Mention designations for their art, including two mentions for Dale Bruere, Lauren Lowell and Ava Olic.

The Cleveland Institute of Art hosts the regional competition that recognizes creative achievement in area 7-12 grade students. The young artists compete for cash prizes, medals and scholarship awards. A panel of local professional artists, art educators, writers and writing educators jury the exhibit and select the awarded pieces from nearly 3,000 entries. Students who receive Portfolio Awards and Gold Key Awards continue to the national competition held in the spring in New York City.

This year’s regional winners in the art categories will be on display in the Art Gallery at the Cleveland Institute of Art beginning this month. Winners will be recognized at an award ceremony on Jan. 14 at the Cleveland Institute of Art. Congratulations to all the winners and teachers Dayna Hansen, Sonja Kreps, Anne McQuay, Arline Olear, Autumn Sabin and Amy Sedlak.

Gold Key Winners: (approximately 7-10% of regional entries)

• Kaylee Banhidy – Photography
• Garrett Bodnar – Printmaking
• Micha Inak – Design
• Faiza Manaa – Drawing & Illustration
• Sara McMillen – Digital Art
• Elyza Mihalski – Drawing & Illustration
• Balint Muller – Photography (2 awards)
• Ava Olic – Drawing & Illustration
• Maya O’Reilly – Ceramics & Glass
• Maya Sutliff – Drawing & Illustration

Silver Key Winners: (approximately 10-15% of regional entries)

• Kaylee Banhidy – Photography
• Haleigh Barrett – Photography
• Morgaine Brennan – Digital Art
• Victoria Donegan – Ceramics & Glass
• Mira Getrost (Harding) – Short Story
• Jueun Lee – Digital Art; Film & Animation
• Lauren Lowell – Digital Art
• Jennifer Meyer – Printmaking
• Jessica Paul – Painting; Drawing & Illustration
• Emily Pearlman – Printmaking
• Holly Pursel – Photography
• Julia Wozniakowski – Photography

Honorable Mentions: (approximately 15-20% of regional entries)

• Kaylee Banhidy – Photography
• Garrett Bodnar – Printmaking
• Dale Bruere – Drawing & Illustration; Comic Art
• Isabel Cintron – Ceramics & Glass
• Clare Ciolli – Photography
• Greyley Cook – Photography
• Isabella Dombrowski – Mixed Media
• Veronica Lee - Drawing & Illustration
• Lauren Lowell – Digital Art; Film & Animation
• Sara McMillen – Printmaking
• Ava Olic - Drawing & Illustration; Printmaking
• Jessica Paul - Drawing & Illustration
• Jamuna Poudel – Photography
• Paul Query – Photography
• Elizabeth Scott – Photography
• Julia Wozniakowski - Photography