Student artists from Arcadia and Litchfield have been awarded some of the highest honors available at the state level through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards of Nebraska, which celebrates creative teens regionally and nationally with awards, exhibitions, publications, and scholarships.
Six students from Litchfield and two from Arcadia received either a Gold Key, Silver Key, or Honorable Mention award. According to Litchfield art teacher Allison Varah, five professional artists judge each work on a rubric. The awards website adds that those judges look for works that exemplify the Awards’ core values: originality, skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision. An impressive list of notable alumni honored in the past includes the likes of Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote and Zac Posen to name a few.
Varah shared with KCNI/KBBN that a letter from the director of the awards stated, “This is a remarkable achievement for you and your students. Your work was recognized by a panel of creative professionals as the most outstanding work submitted among your peers.”
The works are on display at the Omaha Public Schools (OPS) Teacher Administration Center (TAC) building through the end of the month. Gold Key-awarded entries are automatically considered for national awards, including Gold Medal, Silver Medal, and scholarship awards.
Area Gold Key recipients (Pictures below)
Diana Gentry (Litchfield)- “A Frosted Light”, photography
Gracie Ritchie (Litchfield)- “Beauty in the Reflection”, photography
Gracie Ritchie (Litchfield)- “Hide and Seek”, sculpture
Trysten Hornickel (Arcadia)- “Angry Bird”, photography
Trysten Hornickel (Arcadia)- “Blue Beauty”, phography
Wesley Fowler (Litchfield)- “Thorny Devil”, sculpture
Area Silver Key recipients (Pictures below)
Gracie Ritchie (Litchfield)- “The Loot”, photography
Gracie Ritchie (Litchfield)- “Snack Time”, photography
Trysten Hornickel (Arcadia)- “Windmill Pipe”, photography
Area Honorable Mention recipients (Pictures below)
Gracie Ritchie (Litchifeld)- “The Beautiful Beast”, photography
Ida Gross (Litchfield)- “Chain of Frozen Death”, photography
Kylee Allen (Arcadia)- “Lake Sunset”, photography
Rowden Jackson (Litchfield)- “Piling Bales”, photography
Topanga Boyles (Litchfield)- “Sunset in Florida”, photography
Wesley Fowler (Litchfield)- “Flying Bees”, photography
Gold Key winners (click to enlarge)
Silver Key winners (click to enlarge)
Honorable Mention winners (click to enlarge)
