FORT WAYNE – The National Weather Service in northern Indiana says northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio are likely to see more record-breaking heat on Monday.Levon Vojtkofsky, a senior at Snider High School, wants to be an artist some day.
It’s a big dream, he knows, but Sunday he felt hopeful he could make it happen.
Vojtkofsky was one of hundreds of students gathered in Grand Wayne Center Sunday to accept awards they’d won through the Northeast Indiana-Northwest Ohio Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition.
The national contest, in its 89th year, gives middle school and high school students a chance to show off their work in art and writing. Students who win “gold keys” for their projects will advance to national judging in New York. If they place well there, they can be eligible for scholarships.
“It’s not about the money, it’s about the recognition,” said Vojtkofsky, who won a gold key for a portfolio of drawings. “This gives me confidence, and the feeling that I really can do it.”
The regional competition, in its 27th year, is directed by the Fort Wayne Museum of Art. Over the past two years the competition has sent off 36 and 38 pieces to the national competition, placing the region among the top five in the country, according to regional competition director Max Meyer.
Today, Northeast Indiana-Northwest Ohio ranks higher than regions that include Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Miami.
After the awards ceremony, students were invited to a reception at the art museum, where their projects will be displayed through April 8.
“This is really for the kids to realize that their work is good,” said Nicole Croy, an art teacher at Carroll High School. “As a high school kid, there aren’t many places to show your work, and this gives them that opportunity.”
