New Hartford Senior High School art students received 20 awards in the 2025 Central New York Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers is a national organization that identifies and celebrates middle and high school artists who demonstrate exceptional creative talent. This organization sponsors the Regional and National Scholastic Art Competitions, as well as awarding prizes and scholarships for selected artwork.The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards were launched in 1923 to encourage and recognize student achievement in the creative arts.
The Central New York region receives just over 4,500 entries annually from schools across 14 counties in New York state in various categories. All categories can be viewed on the national site at https://www.artandwriting.org/gallery/art. Entries were evaluated on originality, technical skill and personal vision. This year the juried show displayed over 1,200 pieces at Onondaga Community College.
Entries that earn the Gold Key Awards in regional programs are automatically considered for national awards, including Gold Medal, Silver Medal with Distinction, Silver Medal and scholarship awards. If any pieces receive national recognition, the winner will be notified later in the school year.
All award winning artwork from the 2025 Central New York Scholastic Art Awards will be on display from Jan. 14 to Feb. 28, 2025, at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse.
Gold Key Award
- Zoe Mortensen (junior) – Painting; “Bullseye”
- Zoe Mortensen (junior) – Painting; “Sunset Driving”
- Kaitryn Pelnik-Wadsworth (junior) – Drawing and Illustration; “A Frame Within a Frame”
Silver Key Award
- Emerald Abdallah (senior) – Photography; “Lip Liner”
- Connor Adsit (senior) – Digital Art; “Phoenix”
- Zoe Bochene (junior) – Painting; “Rafting in Wuhan”
- Emily Broat (sophomore) – Drawing and Illustration; “Copper and Kettle”
- Isaac Gruneich (senior) – Mixed Media; “Plexiglass Portrait”
- Tyler Huynh (junior) – Digital Art; “Language Barrier”
- Zoe Mortensen (junior) – Mixed Media; “An Incomplete File”
- Ben North (senior) – Architecture and Industrial Design; “Old San Juan”
- Sydney Walker (junior) – Drawing and Illustration; “Empty the Junk Drawer”
- Sydney Walker (junior) – Mixed Media; “A Different Me”
- Sarah Win (senior) – Drawing and Illustration; “Shinjuku: Abura Soba”
Honorable Mention
- Amiya Barnes (senior) – Photography; “Fenced In”
- Aidan Brouillette (senior) – Drawing and Illustration; “Spain”
- Lily Procopio (senior) – Architecture and Industrial Design; “A Day in France”
- Anastasia Walcutt (sophomore) – Photography; “Shape of Ferns to Come”
- Sarah Win (senior) – Photography; “The World Above”
- Caelia Wise (sophomore) – Photography; “Summer’s Over”