From reports

Whitko art students recently competed in the Kosciusko County Lakes and Streams 16th Annual Student Art Contest.

Whitko artists received five of six awards in the 11th and 12th and 9th and 10th grade categories.

Senior Madalyn Dafforn’s “Bond at the Pond,” an ice fishing scene, was second in the 11th and 12th grade category and junior Cassidey Skinner’s “Oh, to be a Fish” was third. Three sophomores swept the 9th and 10 grade category: first place was Emma Morse, “Small Splashes,” showing a summery wade in a river; second was Alena Hindbaugh, “I Spy with My Little Eye;” and third was Hannah Moore, “Memory from the Past.”

Each year, the Lilly Center Art Contest invites fourth through 12th grade Kosciusko County school students to submit their creative depiction of our local waterways. This program is designed to raise awareness and appreciation for Kosciusko County waters through artistic expression.
The theme for this year’s contest was Memories at the Lake.

Artists with winning entries receive cash prizes and join a display in The Alley, in downtown Warsaw. As a bonus, the artwork is also featured on greeting cards this year. Artwork was evaluated by a panel of judges from Grace College Art Department. Criteria for judging was based on creativity, artistic merit, compatibility of any wildlife with its habitat, and depiction of the theme.

Cash prizes are $100 for first place; $75 for second and $50 for third place awards.
Whitko High School Art teacher, Daniel Malicki, said that he is proud of all his students’ pursuit for excellence year after year in this contest, adding that “having success is hard to do, but consistently doing it is even harder”.