Art Exhibit ribbons, Sixth-Grade Art Contest winners also cited

Cailea Styx, a member of National Art Honor Society, checks out the exhibits before JCA's NAHS induction ceremony. (Photo by Bill Scheibe)

JOLIET – Thirteen newcomers and 12 returning members were honored in the chapel recently during Joliet Catholic Academy’s annual National Art Honor Society induction ceremony.

Ian Barr, Maggie DiPietro, Jaclyn Doumanian, Christopher Jagodzinski, Megan Jurica, Michelle LaViola, Gianna Lincoln, Daniel Preradovic, Brittany Rosales, Carson Smith, Alex Testin, Meagan Williams and Madeline Zinanni were inducted as new members.

Current members Tim Beutel, Adele Dalton, Katelyn Gannon, Hannah Harris, Ariba Hasan, Kim Kitchell, Lauren Robertson, Josh Rohrer, Colleen Searcy, Cailea Styx, Molly Vodacek and Margaret Weldin also were recognized.

Gannon, NAHS president, was the master of ceremonies. Molly Vodacek, treasurer/historian, helped provide music while Gannon and Ariba Hasan, vice president, handled the opening statement and presentation of candidates, respectively. Hannah Harris, secretary, cited the NAHS pledge.

The awards were distributed by Jeannette Spreitzer, the NAHS moderator, and Peg Stoiber, JCA’s Fine Arts Department chair. Assistant Principal Bill Pender gave the prayer and Pledge of Allegiance.

Joyce Cabay, a science teacher at JCA, was the guest speaker and raved about the talent present.

“We are so fortunate to have an art program so rich with opportunities, with so many showing the passion and desire to learn,” Cabay said. “The beauty of your heart for art touches the lives of others.”

JCA Art Exhibit ribbons were given out. Katie Rejsek, Testin and Vodacek each earned three ribbons, while Dalton, Hasan, Jagodzinski, LaViola, Preradovic and Searcy picked up two apiece and DiPietro, Doumanian, Smith and Zinanni received ribbons as well.

Twenty-two pieces were chosen for the exhibit, which will be held at Provena St. Joseph Medical Center. An opening reception is being held tonight from 5:30-7 p.m. in the Wallin Conference Center and the exhibition will be viewable daily at the medical center’s Shirley Oberwortmann Community Art Wall.

The Sixth-Grade Art Contest winners were announced. Fourteen grade schools from the area competed, with Nathan Korte (Immaculate Conception, Morris), Georgia Morrison (St. Raymond, Joliet), Brandon Peck (St. Jude, Joliet), Allyson Dolci (St. Dennis, Lockport), Jeremiah Stillman (Ira Jones, Plainfield), Jacob Hueckstaedt (Hadley, Homer Glen) and Vicki Hurd (All Saints Catholic, Naperville) taking home prizes.

41-88 CONTEST WINNERS: 41-88, JCA’s Art and Literary Magazine, has announced its Writing Contest winners. Junior Megan Lemke placed first for her shirt story “A Summer Memorial.” Freshman Emily Gorski took second for her poem “Foreign World.” Junior Lauren Faber placed third for her poem “Rain and Teardrops.” 41-88 is sponsored by Stoiber and Betsy Quas.

— Bill Scheibe, Director of Communications