Submitted by the San Juan Island School District.

Congratulations to seniors Larissa Mauldin and Islay Ross whose artwork was selected by the National Art Honor Society to be included in their online exhibition. This is the first year Friday Harbor High School has entered this prestigious national art competition. Incredibly, two for the four students who submitted artwork were chosen.

The eighth annual National Art Honor Society/National Junior Art Honor Society (NAHS/NJAHS) Juried Exhibition of artwork will take place virtually at the National Art Education Association (NAEA) website: www.arteducators.org, from Jan. 23 to June 30. The exhibition showcases the work of talented student artists who are members of NAEA’s NAHS/NJAHS programs. From a record-breaking total of 2,410 submissions, 127 works representing 68 schools from 27 states and countries outside the United States will be presented in the Virtual Exhibition.

Submissions were juried digitally by representatives from 14 schools of art and design: Burren College of Art, California College of the Arts, California Institute of the Arts, College for Creative Studies, Delaware College of Art and Design, Maine College of Art and Design, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Montserrat College of Art, Moore College of Art & Design, Otis College of Art and Design, Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, Pratt Institute, and University of the Arts.

Juror selections were guided by scoring in 5 categories: Visual Communication, Execution, Formal Elements, Originality, and Artist Statement. The National Art Honor Society (NAHS) is designed specifically for high school students in grades 9–12. In 1978, NAEA began the National Art Honor Society program to inspire and recognize students who have shown an outstanding ability and interest in art. The NAHS strives to aid members in attaining the highest standards in art scholarship, character, and service, and to bring art education to the attention of the school and community.

“What an amazing honor for both Larissa and Islay,” said Andrew Anderson, Friday Harbor High School Art Teacher. “It has been a privilege working with these young artists and being a part of their artistic journey. They are both extremely intelligent, talented, and hardworking. The selected pieces are part of the student’s Advance Placement Portfolio and illustrate the high-quality artwork being created by our outstanding students. I am excited to see what incredible art they create moving forward.”