Six students from Lebanon High School recently won a Gold Key in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for their charcoal self-portraits, and will be honored during a special reception March 16.
The Gold Key winners are: Elizabeth Bates, sophomore; Katie Broughton, senior; Rianna Griego, freshman; Jamie Howard, freshman; Anisten Mandelkow, junior; and Daylon Shoyo, senior.
Silver Key winners from LHS are Angelykah Light and Jenna Schulte. The following earned honorable mention: Galina Altuhovs, Lucas Bagenski, Ashleigh Hageman, Danyelle Hartman, Liz Koch and Alex Pelayo.
Gold Key winning artwork is recognized as representative of the best entries in the state, and will go on to be judged nationally with all other Gold Key winners in the nation. National Medalists will be announced March 13. Last year, Mandelkow’s sister, Isabeau Mandelkow, won a Gold Award at the nationals.
Luis De Luna, art teacher at LHS, moved to Lebanon from Texas three years ago. He actively entered his students in the competition while he taught in Texas, and now he’s bringing his Oregon students into the fold.
De Luna said he always participated in both art and sports while growing up, but he didn’t realize the hierarchy of what gets recognized and what doesn’t.
“Most of the time, the arts play second fiddle to sports or other things,” he said. “(Art) is just as important as anything else.”
An awards ceremony showcasing Gold Key winners from the Willamette Valley region will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 16, at the LaSells Center at Oregon State University campus.
For more information, contact De Luna at (541) 451- 8555, ext. 1107.
For more information about Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, go to www.artandwriting.org.