LTHS artists win lion's share of awards, contingent advances to national level

More than two dozen pieces of art work created by 17 Lyons Township High School artists will advance to the Scholastic Art Awards national competition in New York, where they will join selections from across the country. Judges will critique and choose just 700 winning pieces based on thought, technique, execution and overall impact. LT’s contingent includes 25 Gold Key pieces and two Art Portfolios in which the student exhibits a thematic group of eight works, something that takes months to develop.

Five of the students will advance to national competition with multiple pieces of art. Among the multiple winners is senior Natalie Krause, of LaGrange, who received a Gold Key in Art Portfolio, as well as Gold Keys in mixed media and photography. Freshman Cain Nocera, of LaGrange Park, will advance to nationals with an astounding seven Gold Key awards in photography. Senior Lyrik Castro, of LaGrange Park, will advance two printmaking pieces, while senior Reed Doubek, of LaGrange, will exhibit two photographs at nationals.

In addition to the pieces that will advance to national competition, Lion artists received three Art Portfolio Honorable Mentions, 17 Silver Key awards, pieces that represent the second highest level of achievement at the regional level, and 20 Honorable Mention awards, works judged worthy of recognition.

Winning pieces can be seen at the Scholastics show opening at Downers North High School. The show runs from February 8 thru February 22.

Year after year the program continues to grow with increased participation from students across the country. To date, the Scholastic Art Competition has encouraged over 13 million students, recognized more than 9 million young artists and writers, and made available more than $25 million in awards and scholarships. It continues to be the longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in the U.S., and the largest source of scholarships for young artists and writers.

Art Portfolio Gold Key Winners

Natalie Krause, Senior (LaGrange)

Rachael Larsen, Senior (Brookfield)

Art Portfolio Honorable Mention Winners

Natalie Krause, Senior (LaGrange)

Isabel Orozco, Senior (LaGrange)

Katrina Pasquinelli, Senior (Western Springs)

Gold Key Winners

Lyrik Castro, Senior - Printmaking (LaGrange Park) - 2 Awards

Reed Doubek, Senior - Photography (LaGrange) - 2 Awards

Maranda Jackson, Junior - Painting (LaGrange Highlands)

Maxwell Klitchman, Junior - Ceramics (LaGrange)

Natalie Krause, Senior - Mixed Media (LaGrange)

Natalie Krause, Senior - Photography (LaGrange)

Claire Meany, Senior - Drawing (Brookfield) - 2 Awards

Kaylee Miller, Junior - Printmaking (LaGrange)

Kyle Niego, Freshman Photography(LaGrange)

Cain Nocera, Freshman - Photography (LaGrange Park) - 7 Awards

Katrina Pasquinelli, Senior - Mixed Media (Western Springs)

Katrina Pasquinelli, Senior - Printmaking (Western Springs)

Kyle Reblin, Freshman - Photography (LaGrange Park)

Maria Serembytska, Sophomore - Digital Art (Indian Head Park)

Lauren Trail, Sophomore - Digital Art (Western Springs)

Abbey Wilson, Senior - Digital Art (Western Springs)

Silver Key Winners

Reed Doubek, Senior - Photography (LaGrange)

Kayla Frederick, Sophomore - Ceramics (Western Springs)

Natalie Krause, Senior - Photography (LaGrange) - 3 Awards

Olivia Land, Senior - Photography (LaGrange Park)

Rachael Larsen, Senior - Mixed Media (Brookfield)

Kyle Niego, Freshman - Photography (LaGrange) - 4 Awards

Cain Nocera, Freshman - Photography (LaGrange Park) - 2 Awards

Isabel Orozco, Senior - Photography (LaGrange)

Katrina Pasquinelli, Senior - Mixed Media (Western Springs)

Matt Petrak, Senior - Printmaking (LaGrange)

Myranda Williams, Junior - Ceramics (Countryside)

Honorable Mention

Amy Borgstrom, Senior - Digital Art (LaGrange Highlands)

Lyrik Castro, Senior - Architecture (LaGrange Park)

Lyrik Castro, Senior - Mixed Media (LaGrange Park)

Reed Doubek, Senior - Photography (LaGrange)

Meredith Gebhart, Sophomore - Ceramics (LaGrange)

Maxwell Klitchman, Junior - Ceramics (LaGrange)

Natalie Krause, Senior - Mixed Media (LaGrange) - 3 Awards

Olivia Land, Senior - Digital Art (LaGrange Park)

Rachael Larsen, Senior - Mixed Media (Brookfield)

Kaylee Miller, Junior - Printmaking (LaGrange)

Kyle Niego, Freshman - Photography (LaGrange)

Cain Nocera, Freshman - Photography (LaGrange Park)

Isabel Orozco, Senior - Photography (LaGrange)

Grace Reilly, Junior - Printmaking (LaGrange)

Sophie Rout, Senior - Photography (LaGrange)

Faith Saibert, Junior - Ceramics (LaGrange)

Anna Westegaard, Sophomore - Film & Animation (LaGrange)

Abbey Wilson, Senior - Photography (Western Springs)

VFW Poster Contest

Jackie Cordell, Senior - 1st Place (LaGrange Park)

Madison Thiessen, Senior - 2nd Place (Western Springs)

Caitlin Shallow, Sophomore - 3rd Place (Brookfield)