Students from Ms. Ginexi’s 8th Grade Studio Art class made a strong showing at this year’s Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County’s Art competition. The competition was juried over the summer by professional artists, who chose the winning submissions based on the quality of craftsmanship, design, authenticity, imagination, and overall appeal.
Studio Art in 8th grade is an accelerated course that carries high school accreditation and is offered at the middle school level. The students, now in 9th grade, were recently celebrated at an exhibit and reception showcasing their artwork, which has been featured in Cornell University's 2024-25 Gardening Calendar and Guide.
Earning Gold Awards were Madison McKenna (artwork featured for the month of August), Emma Kropp (artwork featured for the month of April), Liam Danisi (artwork featured for the month of October), and Mya Parker (artwork featured for the month of November).
Silver Awards were presented to Jillian Ganci, Eleanor Gusz, Abigail Montalbano, and Kennedy Thompson, as their artwork is prominently displayed on the back collage page of the calendar.
Bronze Awards winners have their artwork highlighted as inserts throughout the pages of their calendar.
Presented with Bronze Awards were Kyla Byrne (August insert), Luke Hantzschel (May insert & August insert), Yaxeni Morales Ruiz (March insert), Ashley Stroud (April insert & September insert), and Shannon Tower (July insert).
Ms. Ginexi expressed her admiration for her students, stating, “I am always impressed by the immense talent of my students, but I am never surprised! They are clearly talented, but it’s their winning combination of dedication, perseverance, and not being afraid to fail that are visible in the products they are able to put forward. To have so many Farmingdale students selected is a testament to the commitment of the students, as well as the passion of the Art Department! We are lucky to find ourselves in a district that understands the importance of a quality Art Education.”