The National Art Honor Society welcomed 14 new members while recognizing nearly a dozen of its senior members in an induction ceremony hosted last week.
For more than 40 years, the National Art Honor Society programs have provided national recognition and opportunities for students who exhibit outstanding scholarship in the visual arts, and for their teachers.
This year’s induction ceremony was a beautiful celebration of our art students, their artwork, and the many ways they connected with their community through art over the past year. The ceremony was accentuated by a year in review presentation conducted by Alivia Ortiz and Lania Williams. Miss Simmons and Mrs. Wallace each delivered senior recognitions. Sonya Snyder led the induction of new members, and Jeremy Pickup presided over the candle lighting ceremony.
A total of 14 students were inducted as new members of the society; Owen Chambers, Carl-Hanee Coquillon, Izzy Dulay, Abby Freer, Nicole Kamp, Allison Kennedy, Faith O'Brien, Kofi Opoku-Aning, Jeremy Pickup, Kadance Pickup, Rebeca Sands, Colleen Teetsel, Madison Wilcox, and Lanija Williams.
Participation in NAHS provides students, faculty, school, and community with invaluable benefits—including peer recognition, leadership growth opportunities, college and career preparation, recognition of your art program, and more.
Seniors Ian Brisco, Emily Everitt, Abby Freer, Matthew Levesque, Maeve Newkirk, Faith O'Brien, Elizabeth Robertson, Rebecca Sands, Arika Vogel, and Jasmine Weidma each received a chord to wear during next month’s graduation ceremony.
This year was very busy for our 30 NAHS members. They collaborated on a variety of events and activities including: Mentoring third grade students at AW Becker, creating Art Kits for the backpack program at both A.W. Becker and Pieter B. Coeymans Elementary Schools, and sponsoring an entire section at the We <3 aRtCS Festival providing hands-on art activities for the community.
Third Grade Mentors:
As part of their year-long science project, third grade students and their teachers are fixing up the nature trail at the A.W. Becker Elementary School. Students spent time researching plant and animal life in the area.
Each student had the goal of creating a sign with three facts and a picture drawn by them. NAHS members worked four to one to help students with their goal. They met twice virtually to get to know their third grade students. They played ice breaker games and talked to them about their research.
The main event was when NAHS got to visit the third grade in person at A.W. Becker Elementary School and work with them helping them draw. They learned so much from each other and worked well together. It was a very rewarding experience.
Art Shows:
This year we had many of our members participate in art shows outside of RCS! These shows include The Greene Community College Juried High School Show, the 2023 High School Regional, and the 2023 Congressional Art Show! Congratulations to Hanee, Elizabeth, Arika and Sonia for their recognition at these Art Shows!
We love aRtCS
The National Art Honor Society was a big part of the second annual We Love Art-RCS Festival! (Including the logo designed by member Kaydance Pickup.) This festival was founded on the idea of bringing our community together to celebrate all it has to offer between both music and the visual arts. It was a day to gather with neighbors and celebrate Ravena Coeymans Selkirk.
National Art Honor society held a variety of art events for the community. There was a Wheel of Art where you could spin the wheel and learn how to draw something from an NAHS member! NAHS also had a community painting that all were welcome to help paint. This year NAHS ran a face painting table as well, this was a huge success. NAHS members spent the day getting to meet several younger community members while painting their faces.
Art Kits:
As a society NAHS ran an Art Supply Drive from February to May. Their goal was to collect various art supplies in order to create kits to share with younger students within the RCS School District. Thanks to our generous high school community NAHS was able to create 38 art kits! That is DOUBLE the amount put together last year. They sent 19 Art Kits to A.W. Becker Elementary School and 19 to Pieter B. Coeymans Elementary School.
These kits will be distributed to students through The Backpack Program just in time for being creative over summer break. This was a wonderful way to work collaboratively with members of the high school to give back to our younger community members. They had a lot of fun organizing the materials and putting the kits together.