Student Art Challenge
January 15, 2026
Villa Maria College
Registration is Now Open!
Erie 1 BOCES, in partnership with Villa Maria College, welcomes students from school districts across the region ranging from grades 6-12 for the annual Student Art Challenge.
Students are presented with a prompt and have two hours to utilize a medium of their choice to create a finished piece of art. Students do not know what the prompt is prior to the event!
A team of judges representing art institutions and education programs from around Western New York evaluate their works. The judging criteria for the student work consists of categories for creativity, skill, composition, and message. The event concludes with a presentation of awards for the top three pieces in three age divisions.
Registration for the 2026 Student Art Challenge is FULL.
Please contact Dan Lynch at dslynch@e1b.org with any questions. Thank you!
Congratulations to the 2025 Student Art Competition Winners!
Emerging Artists (Grades 6-8)
First Place – Nissi Tshabu (Cheektowaga)
Second Place – Grace Gabel (North Tonawanda)
Third Place – Jack Nash (Frontier)
Judges Award: Wow! Watch Out Art World – Galilee Arango (Cheektowaga)
Judges Award: Phenomenal Perspective – Journee Clark (Niagara Charter)
Intermediate Artists (Grades 9-10)
First Place – Charles Burks (West Seneca)
Second Place – Eliana LaMonaco (Tonawanda)
Third Place – Liz Reber (Buffalo Public)
Judges Award: Best Use of Symbolism & Technique – Elijah Schlossin (Cheektowaga Sloan)
Judges Award: Mulan Reflection Award (with love) – Sam Kulczyk (Frontier)
Advanced Artists (Grades 11-2)
First Place – Ayda Bielaszka (Lancaster)
Second Place – Sam Jakopchek (Iroquois)
Third Place – Alyssa Meyer (Erie 1 BOCES)
Judges Award: Judges Award for Excellence – Olivia Friedman (Lancaster)
Judges Award: Storytelling Through Art – Apatsala Day (Buffalo Public)
Teacher Artists
First Place – Chris Galley (West Seneca)
Second Place – Jess Scibetta (St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute)
Third Place – Tina Edholm-McNelis (Tonawanda)
Past Prompts:
2024 - "Music in Motion"
2025 - "Reflections of Identity"
Past Event Photos
