Recently, 29 pieces of students’ work from the Lakewood Art Department and West Shore Media Art and Design Program were recognized in the Scholastic Regional Art & Writing Awards. Many artists created these 29 pieces under Lakewood teachers Annie McQuay, Dayna Hansen and Sophia Stasiak.

The students who earned the gold key award included James Baas, Emma Collins and Carys Dorin, whose artwork stood out across the region.

Silver Key recipients were Oliver Clasen, Jameson Walker, Sophia Eccher, Carys Dorin, Chloe Dettlebach and Sandy Penney, who received the award twice for different pieces.

The students who achieved honorable mention recognition were Sophia Eccher, Jameson Walker, Evelyn D’Agostino, Adele Wentzel, Nora Lipka, Adrian Bustos, Charlie Vega, Chloe Dettlebach and AJ Pederson.

Additional winners who earned more than one honor were: Jessie Robertson, who earned three honors; Sandy Penney, who was recognized three times; and Carys Dorin, who earned two honors.

For many selected students, the recognition was not expected and came as a surprise.

“I submitted a couple of pieces and was not expecting this piece to get recognized. It … definitely made me surprised and excited me,” said senior artist Sophia Eccher. “It feels nice to have recognition for something I put much effort into.”

The selected pieces explore and demonstrate many different themes, including sports, everyday life, mythical creatures, self-portraits and photography. Some of these pieces stemmed from a student’s personal experiences, while others focus on more widespread topics.

Students who were submitted did not have an easy path to their recognition; it took time and effort to overcome their many challenges.

“The biggest challenge for both of my pieces was completing them on time because the references were so complex that it took a lot of hours and mistakes to make everything right,” said senior silver key selectee Jameson Walker.

While these challenges may have been tough to work through, these students did not just stop their work. “To overcome the challenge, I put my head down and worked. The day before my portrait was due, I spent seven hours working,” said Walker.

Participation in competitions like these opens many doors for the participants. Winners and honorees have a chance at scholarships, exhibitions, and national recognition. For those who do not make it past the regional level, gain valuable experiences for preparing portfolios and meeting professional standards.

Teachers also play an important role in preparing students for submission. McQuay described the focus of her Media Art and Design class.

“Media Art and Design is a class for digital art. We do graphic design, web design, motion graphics, including animation, visual storytelling, digital photography, basically anything that starts on paper or an idea in your head and then ends up being done on the computer.”

Students don’t have to fit one specific style to be considered good art. By highlighting graphic design, web design, motion graphics, animation, visual storytelling and digital photography, it makes it clear that many different types of digital work are not only accepted but encouraged in art, not just drawing. From traditional drawing to digital design, students are encouraged to explore different creative approaches and expand their artistic skills.

With their recognition in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, these students have not only earned individual honors but have also represented Lakewood High School and the broader Lakewood community with distinction.

The awards can be viewed here.