Our Crazy Talent
Our students do many amazing things in academics, athletics, the performing arts, and the visual arts. Here you will find examples of success in the visual arts, and be sure to visit the Wilson Central School site for specific information on other areas. See the Wilson Free Library link for awards from our local art show, and here is a listing of some other honors earned by our students in the Media Arts Program:
• Winter/Spring 2011
Schooling Fish is a collaborative project between the Wilson Central School District, the community and local businesses. The project’s aim is threefold:
1. To showcase the talents of WCSD student artists
2. To educate the public with history about the town of Wilson,
and its rich heritage as a lakeside community
3. To support tourism and travel in Wilson
Fiberglass fish will be adorned by Wilson students from elementary school through college, and installed both outside and inside of local businesses in Wilson and the surrounding area. This is not a fundraising event, but rather a service learning project where students give back to their community through their donation of time and creative talents. Students will also work with local historians to retell the story of Wilson, through plaques installed alongside each fish.
• Fall 2010: Congratulations to Stephanie Purgarich, Shelby Bryer, Jenny Casiano, Josh Smith and Kelssey Russell whose work was selected for this year's Modern Corporation calendar!
• Fall 2009: Congratulations to Samantha Paonessa who was selected to shoot photographs for the nationally distributed Modern Corporation calendar! Along with a number of local students from high schools all over Western New York, Sam submitted for consideration three of her personal photographs. As a result of being chosen, Sam spent an afternoon with Joleigh Washuta touring the facilities and snapping photos that will end up on the company’s calendar. Not only did Sam experience an authentic job with a client, she received a letter of recommendation and a gift basket. Here is an excerpt from an e-mail I received from Joliegh following the shoot:
“It was so great having Sam here yesterday to take photos. She is a lot of fun to work with and it was a pleasure. I can tell she really loves art and photography and it shows in her work.”
• Spring 2009: Wilson participated for the second year in the Student Celebration of the Visual Arts at the Historic Buffalo Central Terminal. Student work was on display from many WNY high schools Saturday June 6th and Sunday June 7th 2009 from 11-5. Congratulations to the students whose work was selected for this exciting show!
• Spring 2009: Congratulations to Shaun for winning 1st Place in the Character Counts! NATIONAL video competition. Shaun's video Trustworthiness was selected from hundreds of entries from around the country, and was the only entry from New York State to make it to the final round.
• Winter 2009: Both Studio in Video and Computer Graphics classes participated in a Safe Winter Driving Campaign, creating both an instructional video and a corresponding poster series based on the character "Britney Steers". The success of this campaign was highlighted in a news story on the local NBC affiliate WGRZ.
• Winter 2009: Congratulations to Lisa for earning 2nd Place in the Think Globally, Act Locally video contest sponsored by the Orleans Niagara Teacher Center with her Volunteer PSA.
• Spring 2008: One Voice, a Public Service Announcement by Raela, tied for 1st Place with Karly's PSA Killing Time in the Niagara University 2008 Media Awareness Student Video Public Service Announcement Competition.
• Spring 2007: Congratulations to Jen & Stephanie for their 1st Prize Win with Body Image, and to Jaci & Tara for their 2nd Prize win for School Violence in the Niagara University 2007 Media Awareness Student Video Public Service Announcement Competition.
• Spring 2003: 6th Annual 2003 Niagara County Community College Video Festival Winners: The music video Eleanor Rigby created by Kaitlyn & Sarah earned 1st Prize in the Music Video Category, High School Division.