Submitted photos This drawing titled “Fears of the Present” by Canfield High School student Sophia Cianciola was chosen as a cameo piece in the 2022 statewide Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition. She was one of five students of art teacher Kevin Hoopes who placed in the show.

The results of the 2022 statewide Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition are in, and Mahoning Valley students had their most successful year in decades, according to regional coordinator Josh MacMillan, an art teacher at Hubbard High School.

This year’s show drew 6,280 regional entries from across the state, entered by 2,441 students from the 15 regions, and 1,030 were selected to enter the state judging. State jurors then selected 342 pieces for the actual exhibition, with 25 of the 342 chosen to receive the Governor’s Award of Excellence.

“The Governor’s Exhibition is a vehicle through which schools and students are able to showcase the high- achieving ability of their schools’ best, and this year was a monumental display of that ability,” MacMillan said.

Lakeview High School art teacher Jeff Piper had two students place in the Top 300. Mollie Stein received one acknowledgement for her drawing called “Stein Foreshortening.” Her senior classmate, Emily Bennett, placed three pieces in the top 300, including a drawing called “Constraint,” a painting titled “Stimulation” and a painting called “Perfectionist.” Bennett also was chosen as a cameo piece for her drawing “Ski Trip (Chilly).”

“My senior art students this year have been taking my classes since they were freshman. They have taken in everything I have had to teach, turned it into their own, and the results have been astonishing. They have been a special group of kids that really listen, practice, and have used their own motivation to develop their skills and communication through the visual arts,” Piper said.

Other Trumbull County students who placed were Brendal Ballentine of Warren G. Harding for a drawing called Tote (teacher John Johnson), Kellen Davis Hall from Niles McKinley with a painting called “Mobile Wardrobe” (teacher Laurie DeLucia) and Gabi Jones of Hubbard for a video called “Love Me at My Worst.” Jones’ film — the only digital selection — was a video created about the breast cancer journey her Video Productions teacher has been going through since the the end of last school year.

Mahoning County also had several students place in the Top 300. Boardman High School’s Anna Zheng placed with the area’s only sculpture work called “Dim Sum.” Her teacher is Kate Burnside.

Canfield High School art teacher Kevin Hoopes had four students place in the statewide show, including Emma Dodig with a drawing titled “Candlelight,” Elizabeth Facemyer with a drawing called “Eyes Wide Open” Nathan Gotsey with the painting “Inside Out” and Aamna Khan with a painting titled “Knees.”

In addition, Sophia Cianciola, also of Canfield, was chosen as a cameo entry with a drawing called “Fears of the Present” and Lorenzo Sprockett of Ursuline High School was chosen for a cameo entry with a drawing called “The Guardian.” His teacher is Alana Campbell.

“I am very fortunate and blessed to work with such dedicated kids. They’ve all put in a lot of time and effort into their pieces and it is rewarding to see the hard work acknowledged at the Governor’s Show,” Hoopes said.

“The amount of teachers who have gone out of their way this year, not only in this contest, but others, to help showcase their student work for recognition and give them the opportunity for scholarships for college is truly unknown by most. Working with these educators to ensure our area is represented is an honor. I know the tremendous pride my community has in our program and I hope others recognize it in theirs,” Hoopes said.

There will be no ceremony in Columbus this year, but students and their families will be able to attend a small private showing of the artwork in late April.

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