2014 POSTER CONTEST WINNERS

Audrey Zhang of Island Trees Memorial Middle School in Levittown is the Grand Prize Winner in the Arts Alive LI 2014 Poster Contest. Her teacher is Karen McNally. Ms. Zhang is also this year’s national Doodle 4 Google winner. Her creative and colorful design answering the question, “What place on Long Island inspires the artist in you?” was chosen from more than 170 submissions by judges that included artists, museum curators and arts educators. “It deals with visual and performing arts in an imaginative way, using articulated puppet-like figures instead of humans…It’s lively, fun, and inclusive,” writes one of the judges.

The Grand Prize includes an Apple mini IPAD and a $500 Gift Certificate, both donated from Bethpage Federal Credit Union, founding sponsor of the Arts Alive LI Festival. Roger Tilles, the Regent representing Long Island on the New York State Board of Regents will be presenting the award to Audrey Zhang at a ceremony along with Linda Armyn, Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy for Bethpage Federal Credit Union.

The Poster Contest Awards Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, September 17 at 10:00 pm at the Cradle of Aviation Museum.

Cash Prizes will also be awarded to the following winners:

• Pre-K-Grade 2
  • FIRST PLACE: Ellie Park of Brooklyn Avenue School in Valley Stream.
    Teacher – Roseanna Lanzilotta
  • SECOND PLACE: Mindy Leu of Waverly Park Elementary in Lynbrook.                                   Teacher – Carol Henderson
  • THIRD PLACE: Sude Maris, Homeschooled from East Moriches.                                                     Teacher – Rachel Maris
• Grades 3-6
  • FIRST PLACE: Michael Dominguez of Stewart Manor School in New Hyde Park.              Teacher – Katheleen Celestin-Parks
  • SECOND PLACE: Yashmita Logaraj of Pines Elementary in Hauppauge.                              Teacher – Michele Giachetti
  • THIRD PLACE: Kathryn Fligstein of Northport Middle School.
• Grades 7-12
  • FIRST PLACE: McKensi Pascall of Connetquot High School in Bohemia.                                  Teacher – Erica Martino-Lattuga
  • SECOND PLACE: Naomi Ruffalo-Román of Seldan Middle School in Coram.                    Teacher – Joanne Schoen
  • THIRD PLACE: Alexandro Vasquez of Connetquot High School in Bohemia.                    Teacher – Erica Martino-Lattuga

New in 2014, winning posters will become part of the 2014 Arts Alive LI Commemorative Poster Series and will be on exhibit at the Long Island Children’s Museum in October. “It is our hope that many of our region’s talented student artists will view this as an opportunity to participate in Arts Month and be featured in their first museum exhibition,” said Theresa Statz-Smith, Executive Director, Long Island Arts Alliance. “Since the submissions will be done digitally on our website ArtsAliveLI.org, it is best suited to those who draw, paint, and specialize in graphic art or photography.”

Long Island Children’s Museum President Suzanne LeBlanc announced news of the art exhibit at the Museum featuring the winning selections.  “At the Children’s Museum we believe that there is a vital need for public spaces to exhibit the creative works of our neighbors. Exhibiting the artwork of our community’s children is one way to encourage them to value and participate in the visual arts and develop the next generation of audiences for galleries and museums across Long Island.  Seeing their contemporaries’ artwork on display will serve as inspiration to all our visitors to keep the “arts alive.”

Arts Alive LI 2014 is presented by the Long Island Arts Alliance and Bethpage Federal Credit Union with additional support from Long Island Community Foundation and Empire State Development’s Division of Tourism/MARKET NEW YORK, through Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Council initiative.