TWO
BHS ART STUDENTS WIN AWARDS
IN
INTERNATIONAL
PHOTO COMPETITION
Two
Bayonne High
School art students took top awards in the 2007 PIEA International Student-Teacher
Photo Competition and Exhibition, which was judged at Daytona
Beach Community College in
January.
Sarah Cruz received a First Prize Award for her
computer-assisted image titled “Benus inYellow”. Faryn Lynch was awarded Third Prize for her computer-assisted image titled “Past the
Darkness”. These awards were in the Best Computer Assisted Image by a Student–Up to Grade 12 category and were
produced in the BHS Photography and Digital Imaging Labs. Sarah, a senior, is a
Photography student of Mr. Thomas G. Hart.
Faryn, also a senior, is a Computer Graphics student of Mrs.
Charlann Meluso. This is not the first time that Mr. Hart’s
and Mrs.Meluso’s students have received top awards in
this competition. Last year BHS
garnished 5 top awards including Grand Prize.
In 2005, BHS received 4 top awards and in both 2004 and 2003 BHS received
3 top awards including Grand Prize both years.
In
addition, this year Mr. Thomas G. Hart received an Honorable Mention award in
the Teacher /Staff category for his computer-assisted image titled “ The Malcontent”.
“The
Bayonne Public Schools’ Strategic Plan focuses on the area of technology,”
stated Dr. Patricia L. McGeehan, Superintendent of Schools. “As an education leader, I have always been
cognizant of the impact that learning and instruction will have on our students
as they embark on their journey as they meet the challenges of the 21st
century,” she added. “The Bayonne Board
of Education and the Central Office are proud of and support the efforts of Mr.
Hart and Mrs. Meluso and congratulate them and their gifted and talented
students.”
The Photo Imaging Education Association
(PIEA) received 6,493 images from 1,504 entrants representing 121 schools
in 9 countries including Australia, Canada, China, England, Guatemala, Honduras, India, South
Africa and the USA. 122 winning images were selected. Students
and teachers collectively won over $111,000 in valuable prizes from 96 generous
sponsors from 4 countries, making this the best-endowed international student
photo competition in the world. The winning
students will receive digital cameras, printers, graphic arts software, film,
lights, books, batteries, ink jet paper and magazine subscriptions donated from
generous sponsors including but not limited to Kodak, Epson, Adobe Systems,
Cannon, Corel, Mitsubishi, Ilford, Fuji, Agfa, Century, Microsoft, Nikon, Polaroid, Sony and
Samsung.
All
of the winning images will be exhibited in two International Traveling
Exhibitions on tours to Australia, South
Africa, Canada, the USA and the United
Kingdom from 2007 until 2009. Venues include major photo conventions,
including PMA Australia, prominent museums, college and universities and high
schools where over 500,000 people will view the images.
“Our
art students never cease to amaze me,” said Mrs. Joan H. Rosen, Director of
Music and Art for the Schools. “These
talented youngsters have not only brought acclaim to themselves and their
families, but to the entire community.
Through their creative efforts and abilities, the art program at Bayonne High
School will achieve worldwide recognition,”
she added.
“I
was elated to learn of our 2007 PIEA Photo Competition winners” commented
Richard J. Baccarella, Principal of Bayonne High School. “Thanks to the tireless efforts of staff
members like Mr. Hart and Mrs. Meluso, BHS students have an opportunity to
reach their fullest potential.”
To
see the list of winners and view the 2007 Gallery of Winners and other past
year’s winners, visit this website: www.pieapma.org and click on “Gallery”.
