Seven Westover students received awards — including four Silver Keys in photography — at this year’s Connecticut Regional Scholastic Art Awards Program.
The four photography students who won Silver Keys were seniors Ally McKenna for waterborne, Aspen Monroe for her photography portfolio, This Is Not Consent, and Stacy Shyaka for COEUR EN MIETTES, and junior Lucy Bird for her digital art/photographic work, Am I? In the 2020 competition, Aspen won a Silver Key for her ink jet print Everlasting Tattoos.
“I am proud of all of my students,” said Caleb Portfolio, who teaches photography and filmmaking, “and I am thrilled to have so many represent Westover at the Scholastic Art Awards.”
Reflecting on the past year, Caleb noted, “Studio art has been challenging to teach in a virtual setting, but I’ve been impressed with how each of my students has demonstrated resilience when going through such a hard time. Even though many of my students have been working from home, and most of them haven’t had access to the same types of equipment they would normally have in the studio, their work hasn’t suffered.
“In fact,” Caleb added, “the new set of challenges over the past year has helped students tap into their creativity in different and surprising ways. I’m so happy for those students who were recognized by the Scholastic Awards, but I want all of my students to know that I am immensely proud of the work they have made this past year.”
In this year’s Scholastic Awards competition, senior McKenna Rook also won a Silver Key in the drawing and illustration category for her work, Grecian Head.
Two juniors also received Honorable Mention: Fatima Nasir in photography for Surrounded and Lan Wen in painting for her entry, Gallery.
Ally is the Editor in Chief of Photography for the 2021 edition of The Lantern, Westover’s art and poetry magazine; she was also a Photography Editor for the 2020 issue. McKenna is both an Art Editor and a Poetry Editor for the 2021 Lantern and was a Poetry Editor for the 2020 edition.
Westover students consistently receive recognition each year from the Scholastic Art Awards. Approximately 150 public, private, and parochial middle and high schools from throughout Connecticut participated in this year’s Regional Scholastic Art Awards.
