After a year of earning multiple awards at several different art shows, Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School finished on top again — this time at the 43rd Annual Tri-County Junior/Senior High School Art Exhibition, held Sunday, May 7, at South Shore Arts, located inside the Center for Visual and Performing Arts Center in Munster, Ind. The school earned the “Best Overall School Presentation” award from a field of 23 high schools from Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties in Indiana and southern Cook County in Illinois. Accepting the award were H-F Fine Arts teachers Candi Helsel-Wilk, Julie Mikuzis, Greg Petecki, Jackie Wargo and Kristy Weidenhoefer.

Individually, H-F students also were recognized for the talents and efforts. H-F senior Sarah Weiner was awarded the prestigious Donald H. Berwanger Scholarship Award ($2,500), and earned the Best of Show 3-D Award ($200) for her Chandelier and First in Sculpture award. She plans to continue her art next year at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. H-F junior Taylor Ausley received the Alexandra Gardner Riddle Memorial Youth Award ($500) and First in Mixed Media ($50) for her Holi Festival. H-F junior Emma Novak was awarded the Best of Show 2-D Award ($200) for her Giraffe. H-F sophomore Michael Radosta earned an Award of Distinction ($75) and First in Photography ($50). H-F junior Andrea Zambrano earned First in Oil Painting ($50), and H-F sophomore Caroline Larocca received an Outstanding Award ($25).

The art exhibition at South Shore Arts recognizes excellence in students’ artistic achievements and the teachers who nurture within them an appreciation and awareness for beauty, creativity and diversity of thought.