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The Redmond Proficiency Academy (RPA) announced that 12 RPA students have been awarded seven Gold Key, 13 Silver Key and eight Honorable Mention awards in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, an annual competition open to all Central Oregon middle and high school students.
“These students have worked hard developing their unique styles and creativity. I am so proud to see them recognized for their exceptional commitment and their talent in art,” said RPA middle school art teacher Myria Bury. “It is a great honor to teach such talented students in an environment where their individuality shines.”
RPA students who were recognized for their work in photography, sculpture, ceramics, digital arts and drawing and painting include middle school students Doris Nash, Ybella Gutierrez and Kaylie Kliewer, who all earned Silver Keys in drawing and painting, and Gabby Jimenez, who earned an honorable mention. High school students Michaela Alexander (two Gold Keys in painting, two Silver Keys in digital art), Jessica Alonso (Gold Key in painting), Chloe Leis (Gold Key, two Silver Keys and four Honorable Mentions in photography), Lily Yeatman (Gold Key, two Silver Keys and an honorable mention for sculpture), Natalia Ruiz (two Silver Keys in painting), Nova Papasodora (Silver Key in mixed media) and Aubrey Luse and Dorlma Wang who both earned an Honorable Mention for drawing and illustration.
“This is our tenth year participating in Scholastic, and it’s been amazing to see the participation grow,” said RPA high school fine arts teacher Ethan Stelzer. “The first year we had only one entrant, and now we have to limit the amount of works students can enter because there’s not enough space to host the exhibit.”
“Last year I put in a couple works of art and got one Honorable Mention. This year I really tried to put my all into photography and I learned a lot,” said Gold Key award winner Chloe Leis. “Receiving two Gold Keys is an incredible honor, and I’m very excited to have my work put in a gallery next to other talented artists.”
The 11th annual Scholastic Art Awards Ceremony will be held Saturday, February 9, at 2pm in the Pinckney Center for the Performing Arts at Central Oregon Community College in Bend. Nearly 800 individual artworks created by students from 15 area schools were judged by a panel of artists and instructors, resulting in over 100 award-winning pieces.
All award-winning work will be on display until March 1 in the Pinckney Gallery at Central Oregon Community College in Bend during regular gallery hours.