New Paltz High School Art Students Earn Prestigious Art Awards 

Several New Paltz High School art students have been named as 2022 Regional Scholastic Art Award Medalists by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. 

Nine New Paltz High School artists took home coveted gold and silver medals in the regional competition, which featured the work of students from Dutchess, Ulster, and Sullivan counties. There will be an awards ceremony on Friday, February 3, at 7 PM at the State University of New York at New Paltz. The students’ work will be displayed at the university’s Studley Theatre from February 4 through February 26. 

Any student who won a gold medal has moved on to the national level of the competition, where they will have the opportunity to win money and national recognition.

Among the award winners are Grade 12 students Fallon Geisler (with three silver medals), Finn Gibson (one silver), Henry Millman (one silver and one gold), Nikola Salvestrini (one silver and two golds), Dayla Sheshany (one silver), and Nina Sarubbi (one gold). Grade 11 recipients included AIli Zissu (one gold) and Sylvan Rudikoff (one gold). Grade 9 student Ella Brassard earned one gold medal. 

Students were encouraged, but not required, to submit work, explained New Paltz Art teacher Laurene Pountain. “There are many categories that they could have submitted under, and the work could have been created in class or on their own,” she said. “It is an opportunity for them to get recognition for the amazing work that they do.” Pountain added that the Scholastic Art Awards have a long history among New Paltz student-artists, some of whom have advanced to the national level. 

Since 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have recognized the talent of our nation’s youth and provided opportunities for creative teens to be celebrated. Each year, increasing numbers of teens participate in the program, including artists and writers, filmmakers and photographers, poets and sculptors, video game artists and science fiction writers.