Scholastic recently recognized Millbrook Middle School students’ amazing and unique artwork for its regional Art Awards.

The awards is a visual arts competition open to students from grades 7 through 12 where their exceptional artistic talent is identified. An awards ceremony was held on Feb. 3 at SUNY New Paltz’s Rotunda Gallery where the students’ art will be on display until Feb. 29. 

MMS Art Teacher Jillian Barnes informed her students of the contest during class, including eighth grader Miranda Moffitt, who had two pieces selected for the Gold Key category, one for the Silver Key category and one in the honorable mentions; all using different mediums.

“She has four pieces – digital, watercolor, acrylic painting and sculpture ceramic,” Barnes explained. “She has something picked from every material.” 

Any material selected for the Gold Key category has the chance to be selected by Scholastic for further awards on a national level. In addition to Moffitt’s “Lucky Red” and “Mushroom Girl,” Taryn Redl’s “Beauty” was recognized in the Gold key category.

One of Miranda Moffitt’s pieces titled “Double Exposure” features five headshots of herself in different poses and colors that took her two class periods to complete. It earned Silver Key recognition along with her brother Jason’s, “Sun-Guo” and Nina Lapine’s, “Lil Uzi Vert.”

“I messed around with the filters and I kind of just had fun with it,” Moffitt explained. “It’s very satisfying to start projects and then finish it and be very proud.”

Having her work on display for people to see is a very rewarding feeling for Moffitt. 

“I’m very honored to have the awards,” she said. “It feels really great.” 

Art gives Moffitt a chance to express herself and try out different styles and materials and she said she is definitely interested in taking up art, specifically graphic design, when she is older. 

“There’s so many kinds of art that you can do and I go through different phases,” Moffitt said. “It just makes me feel good.”

Barnes praised Moffitt for all the effort she puts into her artwork, not stopping on a project until it’s complete and never shying away from taking risks. 

“Miranda’s not afraid of a challenge; she likes to try something new,” Barnes said. “She finishes everything.” 

In addition to the Gold and Silver awards, the following students earned honorable mentions for work: Anna Bonelli, Serafina Fauci, Emily Ann Jackowski, Logan Freer, Lauren Chiu and Lucas Wood, Redly, Miranda Moffitt, and Redl.