It’s an honor to be featured in the Start Here 2023 exhibit at RIT, but to win an award is a phenomenal achievement. This year, the Fairport Central School District is celebrating three winners.

Sam Shah, a 10th grader at Fairport High School, created a jaw-dropping sculpture he named Alkazar. The dragon is made of clay, paper, steel, plastic and paint; it won Shah the Art Education Award 3D. Martha Brown Middle School student Madison Hansen won the Young Artist Award for her submission called Bob in the Ramen. Both are students of Martha Brown art teacher Chris Sequeira.

Fairport High School senior Nicole Champlin won the Luvon Sheppard Watercolor Award for a piece titled Always Another. Champlin’s art teacher Elissa DeChick entered the mixed media self portrait made of watercolor, paint pens and colored pencil. 

Students in grades 6-12 from around the region were featured in the Start Here exhibit at RIT’s Bevier Gallery. We’re proud to say that nine Fairport students had their creative work shown in the exhibit. Winners were chosen by a panel of judges from each of RIT’s schools with the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences. 

There’s still time to see the students’ art in person. The exhibit is on view through February 4.