Windsor High Art Students Take Home Gold at Regional Competition

Four Windsor High School Art Students have been recognized by the 2018 Connecticut Scholastic Art Awards out of more than 3,000 entries from across Connecticut.

Joshua Webster, sophomore, is among those receiving an honorable mention for his expressive sculptural work. Sophie Groenstein, senior, has been recognized with a Gold Key Award for her illustrative text piece championing women’s rights. Jaime Alphonso, senior, received a Gold Key Award for her Illustration Portfolio that examines both the influence of literary characters on human development and re-imagines traditional characters through the eyes of her peers. Finally, Grace Birch, senior, has been recognized with a Gold Key Award for her Digital Imaging Portfolio celebrating the beautiful diversity she has been shaped by growing up in Windsor. Grace has also received both the Hartford Art School Scholarship and the Lyme Academy of Fine Art Scholarship.

Judges have selected approximately 500 student pieces to go on display at the Silpe Gallery at Hartford Art School on the University of Hartford Campus. An awards ceremony will take place Sunday January 28, 2018 where both Jaime and Grace will be among those recognized for their portfolio work. The exhibit runs from January 14 - February 2, 2018 and is open Monday through Friday 9am-4pm and weekends from 12:00-4:00pm.

The 29th annual Connecticut Regional Scholastic Art Awards is the largest juried student art exhibition in the state. It is a high level exhibition. As an affiliate of the National Scholastic Art Awards and The Alliance For Young Artists and Writers, the Connecticut region is proud to continue an annual tradition established in 1927. This national program was originated to honor the creative efforts of grade 7 to 12 students in public, private and parochial schools. It is now the largest and most senior program of its type in the country. Following the close of the Connecticut Regional exhibit, the select Gold Key award winners, which include Sophie Groenstein, Jaime Alphonso and Grace Birch from Windsor High School, will have their artwork reviewed by a blue ribbon panel of judges at the National level in March. The National Jury will select "Gold Medal" National winners and call in their artwork to be exhibited in New York City during June. The National student awards ceremony will be held at Carnegie Hall in mid- June. Selected students will receive an invitation to this National event.

About Windsor Public Schools:
Windsor Public Schools serves nearly 4,000 students in the community of Windsor, Connecticut, a town located in north central Connecticut between Hartford and Springfield, Massachusetts. Windsor Public Schools is comprised of six schools: Oliver Ellsworth School, Poquonock School, Clover Street School, John F. Kennedy School, Sage Park Middle School, and Windsor High School. The mission of Windsor Public Schools is to develop the genius in every child and to create lifelong learners. For more information about the Windsor Board of Education and any of its schools, please visit www.windsorct.org.