Students from the Warren County School District’s middle schools took part in the inaugural art competition which had its focus on creativity, storytelling and collaboration.

Held at the Youngsville Elementary Middle School, the Warren County School District Art Department hosted its first All-County Middle Level Clay Day competition recently bringing together students from the district’s middle schools. Kathleen Brennen, Mary Dwyer, and Joie Hendricks, district art teachers, under the leadership of coordinator Heather Walters welcomed more than four dozen sixth through eighth grade students for the daylong event.

Serving as judges were retired art teacher Rebecca Yeager and Jennifer Sobkowski, a local artist and autistic support learning aide. The competition focused on ceramic processes with an emphasis on handbuilding techniques. To begin the day, students reviewed proper wedging, the process of removing air bubbles, and aligning clay molecules to prepare the material for building and firing. Throughout the event, student groups were presented with three collaborative challenges designed to test both creativity and craftsmanship.

For the first challenge, students were given a slip-cast (pre-made) form and asked to incorporate it into the design of a trophy. The trophies will be used at the end of the school year to recognize outstanding student art accomplishments.

The second challenge tasked students with creating a platter inspired by the district’s PAWSitive Support Dogs, as though commissioned by a dog owner to honor their pet. Students were provided plaster stamps of the dogs’ paw prints, and the resulting platters may be auctioned as a fundraiser to support future hands-on competitions for middle‒level students.

For the final challenge, students created a giant bead featuring personal symbols, drawing inspiration from Native American totems and storytelling traditions. These beads will be displayed in each middle school as a collaborative totem.

Judges arrived early to observe the creation process and speak with students about their artistic decisions. During presentations, students explained their subject choices, symbolism, and approach to each challenge. Judges evaluated both the creative process and the final artworks.

“It is very rewarding to see all of the hard work these students have put in all year long, learning and practicing new skills, and the hard work leading up to this presentation, and the enjoyment that these students have had,” Walters said.

Students said the experience gave them a chance to learn new skills and connect with peers from across the county. Learning about clay and other art forms was interesting, but perhaps what best came of the experience is the collaboration demonstrated among the students. Being placed into mixed teams with students outside of their home school was challenging but provided a way to make new friends, which is important for when these students will reconnect when they reach high school.

“The Beaty students were so excited to attend and take part in the middle school clay competition at Youngsville. We truly appreciated Mrs. Walter’s hard work preparing, planning, and orchestrating this special event. We all had a fun time and learned a lot,” said Kathleen A. Brennan, art instructor at Beaty-Warren Middle School.

Awards were presented for first, second, and third place, with students receiving ribbons in recognition of their achievements.

First place went to Rylee Rectenwald (Youngsville), Lilly Lucia (Youngsville), Gypsie-Rose Abbott (Sheffield), Madi Leichtenberger (Sheffield).

Second place was Niel Soltis (Youngsville), Declan Almendinger (Youngsville), Anna Dysinger (Beaty-Warren), Marie Malczyk (Beaty-Warren).

Third place was Rosalyn Lindquist (Eisenhower), Naveen Mead (Eisenhower), Elsie Woldt (Beaty-Warren), Ashlynn Zawacki (Beaty-Warren).