Correspondent photos / Susan Wojnar Chloe Blott, a Canfield High senior, was named an American Vision nominee, the highest award at the Regional Scholastics Art Awards on Saturday. Her “Fairy and Candle Still Life” also won a Gold Key award.

YOUNGSTOWN — Student artists from across the Mahoning Valley took center stage Saturday as the Regional Scholastic Art Awards ceremony returned to Youngstown State University, celebrating creativity, dedication and the power of arts education.

Held in the Ford Theatre inside Bliss Hall, the ceremony honored students in grades 7 through 12 whose artwork rose to the top among hundreds of submissions.

Following the presentation, families, educators and community members gathered in the Solomon Gallery for a final viewing of the award-winning works, with additional Honorable Mention pieces displayed on the fourth floor of Bliss Hall.

“This is truly a celebration of our Valley’s most creative youth,” said Josh MacMillan, Hubbard High School art teacher and Northeastern Ohio Scholastics coordinator for Regional 11. “It’s only made possible because of the support parents give, the trust students and teachers build throughout the creative process, and the commitment of organizations like the YSU Foundation, the YSU Art Department and the Community Foundation of Mahoning County.”

This year’s regional competition drew 472 student entries from schools across Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties. From those submissions, 65 works earned Silver Key honors, while 35 students advanced to national judging in New York this spring. Five students received Gold Keys and were named American Vision nominees — the program’s highest regional honor.

“We currently have 35 pieces moving on to New York,” MacMillan said. “I hope schools take the time to celebrate this amazing achievement and show students how valued their abilities truly are within their districts.”

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens, founded in 1923. Over the past century, the program has served as an early launching point for influential American artists such as Andy Warhol, Richard Avedon, Cy Twombly, Robert Indiana and Kay WalkingStick.

The regional program is administered by the Northeastern Ohio Scholastic Art & Writing Awards with support from Youngstown State University. Financial support from Akron Children’s, the YSU Foundation, the YSU Art Department, the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley and the Boardman Rotary helps reduce barriers for students by subsidizing entry fees and educator portfolios.

For the first time in the region’s history, students received commemorative regional medals in addition to traditional Scholastic awards. Gold and Silver Key recipients were presented with specially designed t-shirts selected by the panel of judges.

Judging is conducted anonymously, with jurors evaluating each piece solely on originality, technical skill and the development of a personal voice or vision. Gold Key winners automatically advance to national consideration, where students may earn medals, exhibition opportunities and scholarship awards of up to $12,500.

Stephanie Timko, visual arts teacher at Thomas W. Harvey High School in Painesville and a regional judge, said the eperience was both inspiring and affirming.

“It was a pleasure to serve as a judge and to experience the outstanding artwork on display,” Timko said. “The level of creativity and the inventive use of materials across all grade levels was truly impressive. Creativity is a powerful force, and the arts provide students with a vital outlet for expression, exploration and growth — something schools need now more than ever.”

Timko added that viewing student work from across the region also offered professional inspiration.

“As an art teacher myself, I appreciated the opportunity to see the approaches of other teachers in the area. It’s always a privilege to support this event,” she said.

Among this year’s standout students were Gold Key portfolio winners Mia Tisone of Canfield High School for “Stress,” Victoria Aurandt of Austintown Fitch High School for “Vestige of Our Becoming” and Mara Vargo of Hubbard High School for “Them.”

The five American Visions nominees — considered Best of Show — included Hannah English of Cardinal Mooney High School for “Party Animals,” Chloe Blott of Canfield High School for “Fairy and Candle Still Life,” Rhylin Barker of LaBrae High School for “Divine Life and Death,” Camryn Ross of Lakeview High School for “Blooming Battlefield” and Mara Vargo of Hubbard High School for “Intertwined.”

Barker earned both a Gold Key and American Visionnomination for her multi-media piece, which explores the idea that death can be as meaningful and beautiful as life. Created using colored pencil, acrylic paint and Sharpie on acetate hand-sewn to paper, the work reflects Barker’s personal philosophy.

“Everything must come to an end,” Barker wrote in her artist statement. “I view death as the ultimate end of suffering and the completion of a cycle. That is the most beautiful aspect of the human experience.”

Canfield senior Chloe Blott also received a Gold Key and American Vision nomination for her colored pencil drawing centered on a fairy statue illuminated by candlelight. Blott said the piece represents both technical growth and personal pride.

“This piece means a lot to me,” she said. “It reminds me of how far I’ve come. I know the little girl who drew on her schoolwork would be proud of what we’ve accomplished.”

Poland Seminary High School senior Zoe Baird earned a Silver Key for “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” an oil pastel and watercolor painting inspired by quiet drives through the countryside to her grandmother’s house. The title comes from the Kris Kristofferson song later recorded by Johnny Cash, whose reflective tone mirrored the mood she hoped to capture.

Salem High School sophomore Kailee Lewis received an Honorable Mention for her acrylic painting “Moment of Peace,” which she described as an attempt to capture a romantic, impressionistic feeling.

“Like taking a candid picture of someone you love,” Lewis said. “You’re hanging out, maybe on a nature walk, and they look really nice with the sun behind them and the wind in their hair — so you take their picture.”

Teachers also emphasized how critical administrative and parental support is to student participation. Boardman High School art teacher Kate Burnside said her school submitted 48 individual entries and two portfolios this year from students across multiple studio and digital art classes.

“Our involvement in Scholastics would not be possible without the support we get from our administration and parents,” Burnside said. “We could not be more proud of our students. Scholastics gives them the recognition they deserve while also exposing them to opportunities at YSU and beyond.”

During the ceremony, organizers also presented the Renaissance Award to Paul McFadden in recognition of his longstanding advocacy for arts education through the YSU Foundation.

“The YSU Foundation has given so much over the years — not just financially, but through their belief in art education,” MacMillan said. “Paul is an incredible advocate for education in the Mahoning Valley, and it was an honor to recognize him.”

As students, families and educators filled the galleries, the event served as both a celebration of individual achievement and a reminder of the importance of sustaining creative opportunities for young people throughout the Valley.

“This is about more than awards,” MacMillan said. “It’s about showing our students that their voices matter — and that their creativity has a place in the world.”