Schools
Scholastic arts competition honors nearly 200 Utica students
UCS students receive nearly 40 percent of awards at regional tournament

Nearly honors 200 top honors were awarded to Utica Community Schools students through the annual Scholastic Arts competition, including two of the top five awards in the program and an additional 13 students earning the highest level for their entire portfolios.
The competition, a program that honors the best in student-produced art, gave more than 40 percent of its awards to UCS students through a regional competition featuring high schools in the Michigan Thumb region.
“Our fine arts students and teachers continue to be recognized for creativity, dedication and incredible talent,” Superintendent Dr. Christine Johns. “The UCS Fine Arts program represents our district with award winning work in shows and displays throughout the region, state and nation.”
Find out what's happening in Shelby-Uticafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The regional Macomb, St. Clair and Lapeer program received more than 2,600 works of art. Professional artists, with the assistance of volunteer art teachers, selected pieces for Certificates, Silver and Gold Key Awards, American Vision nominations and Best of Show Portfolios.
The American Vision Award winners are chosen as the “Best of Show” from all of the artwork entered in this year’s Michigan Thumb Regional competition. Of the five American Visions awards from the entire Thumb area, two UCS high school students were honored: Bryanna Ankawi and Carla Villalvazo, of Eisenhower High School.
Find out what's happening in Shelby-Uticafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Ankawi was honored for her photography portfolio “Deep in Thought”; Villalvazo was honored for her portfolio “Forget Me Not.”
These artists will represent the region on the national level as American Vision nominees.
In addition, the following students earned Gold Key awards for their portfolios:
- Brianna Atkinson, “My Life” - Henry Ford II High School
- Lewis Page and Luckas Caldas, “City Canvas” - Eisenhower High School
- Gabriella Caldwell, “Color Pop” – Eisenhower High School
- Gabriel Consiglio, “Superbloom: Challenging the Image of Modern Masculinity” - Utica Academy International Studies
- Sydney Coutilish, “The Machine” - Henry Ford II High School
- Stefanie Frontera, “Imagination” - Eisenhower High School
- Albana Grajqevci, “Community & Culture” - Eisenhower High School
- Matthew King, “Moments Suspended in Time” - Henry Ford II High School
- Logan Poe, “Modern Masculinity” – Eisenhower High School
- Erin Ryder, “Urban Adventure” – Stevenson High School
- Annabella Steiniger, “Beauty of Life” – Henry Ford II High School
- Lauren Vermeulen, “CONCEPTS Realized” – Eisenhower High School
- Toni Wilk, “A New Light” – Henry Ford II High School
In addition, judges awarded approximately 80 gold, silver, bronze and honorable mention honors for individual entries.
UCS secondary art teachers are Cara Bay of Bemis Junior High School; Gail Borowski of Davis Junior High School; Josephine Braun, Nancy Druia and Jennifer Ramirez of Eisenhower High School; Emily Ottaviano of Eppler Junior High School; Joe Elliott, Amy May and Marc Palombo of Henry Ford II High School; Jennifer Talbot of Heritage Junior High School; Joseph Acker of Jeannette Junior High School; Kristine Cooper and Sara Palombo of Malow Junior High School; Chris Brunson, Lisa Grunewald and Marsha Sevek of Shelby Junior High School; Patti Fields of Stevenson High School; Megan Berry of Stevenson High School and Utica Center for Science and Industry; Joy Khan of Utica Academy for International Studies and Utica Center for Science and Industry; Michael Allore of the Utica Center for Science and Industry; Jennifer Allore and Joshua Etheridge of Utica High School.
Macomb Community College's Lorenzo Cultural Center will feature these works Jan. 30 through March 13.
Students who earn American Vision nominations and gold key will participate in the national Scholastic Arts competition in New York.
Below are the individual winners for this year's program:
Individual Categories
Stevenson High School
Jessica Culverhouse Gold Key Photography
Jessica Culverhouse Silver Key Photography
Madalyn Czarski Silver Key Painting
Madalyn Czarski Honorable Mention Drawing
Madalyn Czarski Honorable Mention Drawing
Hailey Kasper Honorable Mention Photography
Andrew Schwesinger Silver Key Drawing
Andrew Schwesinger Silver Key Drawing
Andrew Schwesinger Silver Key Drawing
Hayli Szych Gold Key Photography
Sarah Tieman Gold Key Photography
Cheyene Wagner Honorable Mention Digital Art
Kristina Webb Silver Key Photography
Kristina Webb Honorable Mention Photography
Racquel Williams Silver Key Drawing
Joslyn Yabut Silver Key Digital Art
Joslyn Yabut Honorable Mention Photography
Davis Junior High School
Teacher: Gail Borowski
Lindsay Lewis Honorable Mention Photography
Maya Meek Honorable Mention Painting
Dwight D Eisenhower High School
Riya Aggarwal Honorable Mention Printmaking
Bryanna Ankawi Gold Key Photography
Gabriella Caldwell Silver Key Photography
Jack Cooper Gold Key Digital Art
Jack Cooper Honorable Mention Digital
Art Jack Cooper Honorable Mention Drawing
Albana Grajqevci Silver Key Photography
Albana Grajqevci Honorable Mention Photography
Albana Grajqevci Honorable Mention Photography
Lara Ilham Honorable Mention Sculpture
Alexis Ladson Honorable Mention Ceramics & Glass
Vincent Lee Silver Key Painting
Abigail Maier Honorable Mention Mixed Media
Jennifer Moya Silver Key Drawing
Emily Oumelaz Gold Key Ceramics & Glass
Logan Poe Gold Key Photography
Logan Poe Silver Key Photography
Logan Poe Honorable Mention Photography
Logan Poe Honorable Mention Photography
Logan Poe Honorable Mention Photography
Kassandra Renteria Silver Key Ceramics & Glass
Nicole Sands Honorable Mention Drawing
Marcela Sifuentes Honorable Mention Editorial Cartoon Marcela Sifuentes Honorable Mention Drawing
Allison Soffa Gold Key Ceramics & Glass
Madison Turedi Honorable Mention Photography
Lauren Vermeulen Silver Key Digital Art
Lauren Vermeulen Honorable Mention Digital Art
Carla Villalvazo Gold Key Digital Art
Carla Villalvazo Gold Key Drawing
Carla Villalvazo Silver Key Drawing
Carla Villalvazo Silver Key Drawing Carla Villalvazo Silver Key Drawing
Carla Villalvazo Silver Key Digital Art
Carla Villalvazo Silver Key Drawing
Carla Villalvazo Honorable Mention Drawing
Abigail Visnaw Gold Key Jewelry
Melissa Whipple Gold Key Painting Abigail Wittwer Honorable Mention Photography
Abigail Wittwer Honorable Mention Photography
Eppler Junior High School
Rivera Arkan Gold Key Photography
Rivera Arkan Gold Key Photography
Katelyn Beauvais Honorable Mention Drawing Hannah Culbreath Honorable Mention Photography
Austin Fertik Silver Key Photography
Sophia Grimaldi Silver Key Photography
Sophia Grimaldi Honorable Mention Photography
Brooke Kessen Honorable Mention Photography
Cordelia Kraus Gold Key Drawing
Kadia Kustarz Gold Key Photography
Kadia Kustarz Gold Key Photography
Kadia Kustarz Silver Key Photography
Elizabeth Mulvaine Silver Key Photography
Andrew Munya Honorable Mention Drawing
Madeline Riggs Gold Key Photography
Makenna Riggs Honorable Mention Photography
Máire Snyder Silver Key Digital Art
Sofia Stout Gold Key Photography
Avery Urban Gold Key Photography
Avery Urban Silver Key Photography
Wiktoria Zaremba Silver Key Drawing
Henry Ford II High School
Kyra Albrecht Honorable Mention Sculpture
Brianna Atkinson Honorable Mention Photography
Madelyn Bandy Honorable Mention Drawing
Megan Barney Gold Key Drawing
Megan Barney Honorable Mention Drawing
Ana Chauvin Gold Key Drawing
Ana Chauvin Silver Key Photography
Ana Chauvin Silver Key Photography
Ana Chauvin Honorable Mention Photography
Sydney Coutilish Gold Key Photography
Sydney Coutilish Silver Key Photography
Sydney Coutilish Silver Key Drawing
Emily Leix Gold Key Drawing
Emily Leix Gold Key Drawing
Paulina Pulawska Silver Key Painting
Paulina Pulawska Honorable Mention
Photography Kaden Rucinski Honorable Mention Photography
Alyssa Sorenson Silver Key Drawing
Alyssa Sorenson Honorable Mention Drawing
Annabella Steiniger Gold Key Photography
Annabella Steiniger Silver Key Photography
Annabella Steiniger Honorable Mention Photography
Alexa Sweet Silver Key Drawing
Katelyn Swope Silver Key Drawing
Richard Tharrett Gold Key Film & Animation
Jeannette Junior High School
Olivia Beckman Gold Key Drawing
Abheet Bhugra Gold Key Photography
Nathan Boldt Gold Key Drawing
Ella Cavallaro Silver Key Photography
Mena Murrani Gold Key Photography
Madalyn Sesi Gold Key Photography
Maria Wegrzyn Silver Key Photography
Malow Junior High School
Magdalena Considine Honorable Mention Photography
Sofia Hemingway Honorable Mention Drawing
Faariah Imtiaz Honorable Mention Drawing
Shelby Junior High School
Riley Binfet Honorable Mention Photography
Caterina Biundo Silver Key Photography
Mia Doncic Gold Key Photography
Christian Evans Silver Key Photography
Anthony Fabian Silver Key Photography
Amela Halkic Honorable Mention Photography
Charlotte Hall Gold Key Sculpture
Charlotte Hall Silver Key Painting
Charlotte Hall Silver Key Drawing
Kimberly Hartley Silver Key Photography
Katelyn Hebel Gold Key Photography
Sarah Ko Gold Key Photography
Sarah Ko Silver Key Photography
Sarah Ko Honorable Mention Photography
Sarah Ko Honorable Mention Photography Monica Laszczkowski Honorable Mention Photography
Cassidy Lease Honorable Mention Photography
Jacob Lewis Honorable Mention Sculpture
Jack Mahoney Honorable Mention Photography
Samantha Merecki Silver Key Photography
Vito Palazzolo Silver Key Digital Art
Samantha Quartuccio Silver Key Photography
Briana Rowoldt Honorable Mention Photography
Macy Spevacek Gold Key Digital Art
Macy Spevacek Honorable Mention Photography
Ella Ward Gold Key Photography
Ella Ward Honorable Mention Photography
Isabella Wetzel Silver Key Photography
Utica Academy International Studies, Sterling Heights
Gabriel Consiglio Gold Key Fashion
Gabriel Consiglio Silver Key Fashion
Gabriel Consiglio Honorable Mention Ceramics & Glass
Utica Center for Science and Industry
Morgan Jensen Honorable Mention Film & Animation
Utica High School, Shelby Township
Teachers: Jennifer Allore, Joshua Etheridge
Jessica Capanda Honorable Mention Painting
Katie Daiek Gold Key Printmaking
Katie Daiek Honorable Mention Painting
Katie Daiek Honorable Mention Painting
Christina D'Alessandro Honorable Mention Photography Evelyn Decker Honorable Mention Painting
McKenzie DeLaere Gold Key Photography
Hanna Gehrke Gold Key Painting
Hanna Gehrke Silver Key Printmaking
Hanna Gehrke Silver Key Painting
Hanna Gehrke Silver Key Photography
Marcella Gibson Silver Key Mixed Media
Marcella Gibson Honorable Mention Painting
Rorry Gilkinson Gold Key Sculpture
Darby Gilkinson Honorable Mention Sculpture
Marina Gojcaj Honorable Mention Drawing
Lillian Haydon Gold Key Digital Art
Lillian Haydon Silver Key Digital Art
Savannah Jodway Silver Key Photography
Savannah Jodway Honorable Mention Photography
Haley Kelly Silver Key Digital Art
Haley Kelly Silver Key Photography
Haley Kelly Honorable Mention Photography
Madison Lockaby Gold Key Photography
Madison Lockaby Gold Key Photography
Emily Maze Silver Key Mixed Media
Hailey McIntosh-Russo Silver Key Photography
Brandy Paton Gold Key Sculpture
Brandy Paton Silver Key Sculpture
Alexa Patru Silver Key Photography
Alexa Patru Honorable Mention Photography
Megan Pawenski Gold Key Sculpture
Megan Pawenski Silver Key Photography
Ellie Peplinski Honorable Mention Photography
Savannah Rue Honorable Mention Photography
Elizabeth Schroeder Silver Key Photography
Logan Schultz Honorable Mention Photography
Annalise Trenkamp Honorable Mention Photography
Nina Vuong Gold Key Photography
Kimberly Wagner Honorable Mention Digital Art
Evan Zack Silver Key
Drawing Riley Zuzga Gold Key Drawing
Riley Zuzga Gold Key Painting
Riley Zuzga Silver Key Mixed Media
Source: Utica Community Schools
Dr. Christine Johns, Superintendent of Schools