Woodlawn Arts Academy announces art contest winners

STERLING – Woodlawn Arts Academy hosted the opening for the 15th annual Student-Teacher Art Exhibit on Feb. 23. More than 300 community members were in attendance to view more than 120 submissions from surrounding schools. Here is a list of winners of the 2024 Student-Teacher Art Exhibit.

• “Sweet Reflection,” a Prismacolor colored-pencil piece by Zayley B., a freshman at Morrison High School, was the first-place winner in the category for students in grades nine through 12.

• First place in the category of students in grades five through eight went to “Shakira the Giraffe,” an oil pastel piece by Cierra W., a seventh grader at Morrison Junior High.

• Jovie F., a first grader at Franklin Elementary School in Sterling, won first place in the kindergarten through fourth grade category with her mixed media piece called “Under the Sea.”

Voting took place in person at the exhibit opening and then on the academy’s Facebook page for the first two weeks of the exhibit, with the public “liking” or “loving” the images of their choice. More than 7,300 votes were cast in person and on Facebook.

Rounding out the top 12 were:

• “All Eyes on Me,” cassette tape, Landon C., junior, Morrison High School, second place, grades nine to 12
• “Glimmering Greens,” multimedia, Leah S., eighth grade, Morrison Junior High School, second place, grades five through eight
• “Sunflower,” tempera paint and oil pastel, Jacqueline C., first grade, Jefferson Elementary School, Sterling, second place, kindergarten through fourth grade
• “Aviators,” ink pen, Anna B., sophomore, Morrison High School, third place, grades nine through 12
• “Gerald, The Grumpy Neighbor,” oil pastel, Kay-Leigh M., seventh grade, Morrison Junior High School, third place, grades five through eight
• “Mighty Meat Mountain,” collage, Nora L., fourth grade, Washington Elementary School in Sterling, third place, kindergarten through fourth grade
• “Crimson Heart,” painted ceramic, Ava P., junior, Sterling High School, honorable mention, grades nine through 12.
• “Dream House,” colored pencil, Aria R., fifth grade, Washington Elementary School in Sterling, honorable mention, grades five through eight
• “Wild Thing,” colored pencil, Payton M., third grade, West Carroll Primary School in Savanna, honorable mention, kindergarten through fourth grade

Beginning in early 2025, winning pieces will be featured on banners along the First Avenue Bridge between Sterling and Rock Falls through a partnership between the academy, the city of Sterling and Sterling Main Street. In addition to the winning pieces, Woodlawn Arts Academy staff chose six additional submissions to be featured on banners:

• “Moth,” watercolor and ink, Nivea N., ninth grade, Ashton-Franklin Center High School, Ashton
• “Star Sky Beach,” tempera paint, Starlyn E., fifth grade, West Carroll Primary, Savanna
• “Digital Portrait,” digital painting, Salena M., seventh grade, Challand Middle School, Sterling
• “The end of the beginning ...,” mixed media, Zy M.W., senior, Rock Falls High School
• “Me on a Summer Day,” mixed media, Elianna W., kindergarten, Dillon Elementary, Rock Falls
• “Distortion,” watercolor, Josey H., senior, Sterling High School

The art exhibit will be on display during regular business hours through April 26 and is free and open to the public.

Woodlawn Arts Academy is an agency of United Way of Whiteside and Lee counties, and financial assistance is available to those who qualify. Details on the academy’s programming and financial assistance applications are available in the academy office or on the website at www.woodlawnartsacademy.com.

The academy’s programs are partially funded by grants from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and the Chicago Community Foundation.