CNY Scholastic Art award winners

For the past 70+ years, high school students from across Central New York have been recognized in the Central New York Scholastic Art Awards. This year, CNS High School and North Syracuse Junior High School art students took home a total of 182 awards, which is the highest number for any school district! 88 works of art received Honorable Mention Awards, 55 works received Silver Key Awards, and 39 works of art received Gold Key Awards.  The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards were launched in 1923 to encourage and recognize student achievement in the creative arts. The Scholastic Awards attract over 350,000 entries in 28 categories of writing and the visual arts. Artwork is evaluated on originality, technical skill, and personal vision.

The Cicero-North Syracuse artists are students, in grades 8-12, and lead by educators: Heather Blaski, Kara Daviau, Rebecca Patterson and Tracy Liberman.

All pieces that earned awards will be hung in the exhibition at Onondaga Community College (OCC) from January 14-February 28, 2025.

Following is a list of student award winners by category: 
Gold Key: Megan Balunas, Mixed Media (Two birds One Stone) and Printmaking (Scatter Brain); Ethan Brown, Photography (Underlocking Key); Nadarren Carter Jr., Photography (walk of darkness); Colton Chaney, Photography (1000 Yard Stare), Donovan Chaney, Photography (B&W ben); Lillianna David, Digital Art (Escape); Halia Dice, Drawing & Illustration (Junior Year); Antwaun Dixon II, Photography (A Green Envy); Andrew Dolson, Photography (Wondering); Haley Drinkwine, Photography (Darkened Peaks); Amrisha FNU, Photography (Kaleidoscopic dream); Lillian Francis, Photography (Through the Net); Abbi Gable, Photography (Heart of the Horn); Miabella Gates, 2 Photography awards (life's too short to have regrets and opposites attract); Kimani Giles, Drawing & Illustration (Smile!); Sophia Graham, Photography (Painted Blossom); Caleb Greco, Photography (A Tale Within); Cydney Hill, Photography (The Meet); Alayna Huynh, Painting (Misty falls); Nicholas Incassati, Photography (guitar); Lorna Keuchler, Photography (starting over); Emery Kozdemba, Photography (Look through the lens); Reho Lamson, 2 Photography awards (Doomed and Windy); Fallon Mackay, Photography (Late Night); Edis Osmanovic, Photography (Heavy Shoulders); Mila Owens, Drawing & Illustration (Dream Brother); Julianna Pettersen, Photography (Shades of Existence); Jack Putman, Photography (Eye Spy); Briar Raymond, Photography (Isolated Mealtime); Carter Reynolds, Photography (Night Wash); Emmy Rumble, 2 Photography awards (destination unknown and new beginnings); Elizabeth Smith, 2 Photography awards (Broken Shadows and Scrape the Sky); Nick Soccocio, 2 Photography awards (A New Legacy and Stride) and Payton Whelan, Photography (The World's Palette). 

Silver Key: Rhett Andrews, Photography (Need For Speed); Deliana Cartagena, Drawing & Illustration (Color Portrait); Nadarren Carter Jr., Photography (through the light); Beauty Chin, Drawing & Illustration (Grey); Elyse Cook, Photography (Muddled Waters); Daniel Costa, Art Portfolio (Life Through Animals); Lillianna David, Digital Art (Me Core); Braydon Dems, Photography (Montana's Treasure); Linsey Dietter, Painting (Growing perspective); Andrew Dolson, Photography (In Air); Peyton Driscoll, Drawing & Illustration (Jazmin Bean); Lillian Francis, 2 Photography awards (Blooming Bath and The Final Bow); Aidan Freeman, Photography (A Crow's Perch); Adelyn Frisina, 2 Photography awards (Orange Twist and Silhouette); Abbi Gable, Photography (Rainy Days); Miabella Gates, Photography (stand by me); Sophia Graham, Photography (Spiraling); Caleb Greco, Photography (A Lonesome Life); Alayna Huynh, Painting (The Swans); Lorna Keuchler, Photography     (Euphoria); Lucas Klein, 2 Photography awards (Apple on a Tree and Night Light); Emery Kozdemba, Photography (instant refresh); Izabela Kulesza, Photography (Find Me); Addison McCarthy, Photography (Mercury dreams); Gianna Muller, Photography (Tracks of Time); Catherine Murray, 3 Photography award (Haunted Beauty, Mentally Melancholy and Surreal Serendipity); Sofia Normanly, Photography (one step at a time); Edis Osmanovic, Photography (Blue Hour); Alice Pellegrino, Digital Art (mardi gras) and Photography (shadow secrets); Bella Petralia, Drawing & Illustration (Rush Hour) and Printmaking (Courthouse); Gino Racht, 2 Photography awards (Brain Washed and Midnight Silhouette); Carter Reynolds, Photography (Path To The Lake); Ava Ricci, Photography (Fruit); Ben Rourke, Photography (A Deeper Perspective); Alexander Sanchez, Art Portfolio (A Salutation of my broken Broken Heart); Gia Scullen, Photography (Working Away); Makayla Seidman, 2 Photography awards (Day Dreamer and World of Possibilities); Maddie Servider, Drawing & Illustration (Colorful Self Portrait) and Painting (Quade); Nick Soccocio, Photography (Spike); Jaiden Tagliarino, Photography (Empty); Emma VanBeveren, Photography (Autumn leaves); Zuri Wesby, Drawing & Illustration (Portrait); Tailah (Dee) Whalen, Drawing & Illustration (Woodlaun); Payton Whelan, Digital Art (Breaking Free) and Photography (Colored Dreams). 

Honorable Mention: Sean Aldrich, Art Portfolio (Resurgence of Nature); Rhett Andrews, Photography (Feathered Royalty); Megan Balunas, Painting (Sacred); Katherine Bouziden, Photography (Spiring Is In The Air); Ethan Brown, Photography (Battleground); Nathan Bubniak, 3 Photography awards (After The Harvest, Flash Forest and Reflection Freeway); Nathan Bustin, Photography (Female Cardinal); Daniel Costa, Photography (Ducks); Lillianna David, 2 Digital Art awards (Bird Watching and Red Flower); Jackson Flemming, Photography (New York Nights); Amrisha FNU, 2 Photography awards (Liquid universe and Luminous Pathway); Peter Fragola, Photography (Busy CIty); Lillian Francis, Photography (Lost in Motion); Abbi Gable, Photography (Inner Demons); Gavin Goettel, Photography (Watch Your Step); Sophia Graham, Photography (Suffocating); Julia Gross, Digital Art (Through The Looking Glass) and Photography (Rivers Embrace); Caleb Heller, Photography (Beauty In Nature); Emma Herrington, 2 Photography awards (Night Lights and Rustic); Gavin Higgins, Photography (Unpopped Prisms); Katelynn Hogan, Painting (on the bridge); Jillian Howell, Photography (The Light in Our Shadows); Alayna Huynh, Art Portfolio (Beautiful scenes); Nicholas Incassati, Digital Art (Neon Void) and 2 Photography awards (City and marbles); Zoe Ireland, Photography (Her Reflected); Charlee Johnson, Photography (Altitude Adjustment); Kasey Kalfass, Digital Art (under the sea) and Photography (hoop in the sky); Lorna Keuchler, Photography (Equestrian Elegance); Lucas Klein, Lucas 2 Photography awards (Curve Lines and Frog in Water); Emery Kozdemba, Photography (the 1 that got away); Sadie Krause, Drawing & Illustration (Alone in my Thoughts); Izabela Kulesza, 2 Photography awards (The Collector and Two of Us); Penelope Lane, Drawing & Illustration (Self Portrait); Riley Lasher, Photography (Letting Go): Ava Lawrence, Photography (Hiding under the covers); Ryleigh McLauchlan, Photography (In a Blur); Gianna Melfi, Photography (Purple dream); Natalie Miller, Drawing & Illustration (Veil); Gianna Muller, Photography (Weaving Weeds); Catherine Murray, Photography (Western Whims); Abigail Neely, Painting (Florida Sunset); Siena O'Keefe, Digital Art (Blooms of Essence); Alice Pellegrino, Photography (darkest hour); Bella Petralia, 2 Drawing & Illustration awards (Departure and My View); Julianna Pettersen, Photography (Motionless Silence); Gabrielle Putman, 2 Photography awards (Caged Lines and Hold On); Jack Putman, Photography (Road to Beauty); Gino Racht, Photography (Spokes); Maya Ranieri, Photography (Sunset Marina); Briar Raymond, Photography (Underwater Elegance); Sophie Robles, Photography (Cranium); Michelle Rose, Photography (Finally Whole); Ben Rourke, Photography (Ice Cold); Emmy Rumble, Photography (royal); Giavanna Salvatore, Photography (Queen of Flowers) and Art Portfolio (Growth); Biak Sang, Digital Art (Druid Tree); Dylan Scammell, Photography (Bullseye); Elizabeth Smith, 2 Photography awards (Fallen Colors and Into the Unknown); Nick Soccocio, Art Portfolio (Athletics in Action); Jaiden Tagliarino, 2 Photography awards (A Dogs Sight and Warrior); Eden Thomas, Painting (Funky Fruits); Julia Tkachuk, Painting (Reflections); Emma VanBeveren, 4 Photography awards (Flames of Passion, Lost in the Wind, On route and Succulent Sanctuary); Addison Vavra, Drawing & Illustration (Glass Still Life); Tailah (Dee) Whalen, Art Portfolio (Change); Payton Whelan, 2 Digital Art awards (La Vida and The Road To Victory) and Photography (Watch Your Step) and Savannah Yerkey, Drawing & Illustration (Dove).