LHS, West Shore Artists Earn Top Regional Awards

The Lakewood High School Art Department and the West Shore Career-Tech Interactive Media program combined have earned the most number of Gold Key awards of any area school in the annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards regional competition.

Winners of a Gold Key, the highest honor given, were led by senior Jacob Corder, who captured five top awards for his work. In total, seven LHS and West Shore students won 13 Gold Keys. Seniors Alex Marek and Grace Roberson were also multiple winners with two Gold Keys. Gold Key winners move on to be judged at the national level of the 91-year-old competition.

Lakewood students were also well-presented at the Silver Key and Honorable Mention levels. Five students won six Silver Keys, with Corder winning two Silvers. Eleven students earned Honorable Mention designations for their art.

Corder, who began entering the contest in 8th grade, over the years has earned one national Gold Key, seven regional Gold Keys, two regional Silver Keys and numerous Honorable Mentions. He said, “This year the stars kind of aligned for me where the judges liked my work and I was really proud of the work I did.” He also attributes the quintet of Gold Keys to the artistic growth he’s experienced while at LHS.

“My growth as an artist had advanced exponentially since coming to LHS,” Corder said. He credits the expansive range of art options at the school and his ability to take advantage of them.

The Cleveland Institute of Art hosts the regional competition that recognizes creative achievement in area 7-12 grade students. The young artists compete for cash prizes, medals, and scholarship awards. A panel of local professional artists, art educators, writers, and writing educators jury the exhibit and select the awarded pieces from nearly 3,000 entries. Students who receive Portfolio Awards and Gold Key Awards continue to the national competition held in the spring in New York City.

This year’s Regional winners will be on display in the Art Gallery at the Cleveland Institute of Art from Jan. 15-30. Congratulations to all the winners and art teachers Anne McQuay, Sandy Norris, Arline Olear and Amy Sedlak and English teacher Barbara Comienski.

Gold Key Winners: (approximately 7-10% of regional entries)

Jacob Corder, senior  – Mixed Media (2), Digital Art, Photography, Painting

Alex Marek, senior– Film & Animation, Photography

Grace Roberson, senior – Poetry, Portfolio

Nathaly Rodriguez, senior – Ceramics & Glass

Isabel Romeo, senior – Drawing & Illustration

Nina Scavone, senior – Drawing & Illustration

Kaitlin Stanaitis, senior - Printmaking

Silver Key Winners: (approximately 10-15% of regional entries)

Madeline Baker, senior - Photography

Jacob Corder, senior – Printmaking, Portfolio

Hannah Randall, junior – Photography

Kaitlin Stanaitis, senior – Mixed Media, Printmaking

Andrea Thompson, senior – Mixed Media

Honorable Mentions: (approximately 15-20% of regional entries)

Jacob Corder, senior – Printmaking

Katherine Kunze, senior – Comic Art

Madeline Listkowski, senior – Film & Animation

Hannah Randall, senior – Photography

Cooper Robar, senior – Printmaking

Grace Roberson, senior - Poetry

Willy Rodriguez, senior – Ceramics & Glass

Robert Searles, senior – Photography

Owen Smith, junior – Photography

Kaitlin Stanaitis, senior – Printmaking, Drawing & Illustration

Gregory Stropki, senior – Photography

Clare Toole, junior – Ceramics & Glass