THREE BHS SENIORS TO RECEIVE

SCHOLASTIC NATIONAL ART AWARDS

The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, Inc. has informed Bayonne High School that five of its art students have been selected to receive Scholastic National Art Awards. The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards of 2007 honor the nation’s most talented young artists and writers.

Joseph Maresca will receive a National Silver Award for his Computer Graphic titled “Drawing Joe”. Joseph is a student of Mrs. Charlann Meluso. Faryn Lynch will receive a National Silver Award for her Digital Photograph titled “Forming a Posse”. Faryn is a Photography student of Mr. Thomas G. Hart. Kasey Balla will receive two National Silver Awards for her oil paintings titled “Consoled” and “Last Breath”. Kasey is a student of Mrs. Christina Poruczynski.

Each year, approximately 250,000 works of art and writing are submitted to The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. This year, 25,000 finalist works from 90 regional areas were considered for national honors. From these finalists, approximately 1,200 artists and writers were bestowed national Gold Awards or Silver Awards. The entries were evaluated locally and nationally by a panel of jurors comprised of renowned artists, authors, educators and arts professionals.

In June, the Award recipients will be celebrated during a ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City. In addition, the recipients of Art and Photography Portfolio Gold Awards, Gold Awards and American Vision Awards will have their works on display at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.,this summer.

Gold and Silver Awards are presented to exceptional works. Winners receive opportunities for publication and are invited to the national events weekend in New York City and Washington DC. Our students will attend the New York City ceremony along with their families, art teachers and Mrs. Joan H. Rosen, Director of Music and Art.

Bayonne High School has had other National Scholastic Art Award winners in the past. In 1997, a National Gold Award was bestowed on Renee Fischer. In 2001, Susan Kern was the recipient of a National Gold Award. In 2005, Damien Miksza received a National Gold Award. All three were Computer Graphics students of Mrs. Charlann Meluso. Also, in 2005, Nadia Estrada received a National Silver Award. She was a Photography student of Mr. Thomas Hart. Last year, BHS students received 5 National Awards. Dan Casey and Lee Reyes received Gold Awards. Edidh Lopez, Daniel Ruiz and Melody Willoughby received Silver Awards.

Since Scholastic founded the program in 1923, more than 13 million of America’s most talented junior and high school students have participated in The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, and 2.5 million have been recognized both locally and nationally.

For a list of the 2007 and previous year’s National Award recipients, please visit the virtual galleries at www.artandwriting.org

For more information contact: nationalawards@scholastic.com