Junior High Students Honored By Downers Grove Junior Woman's Club

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Five local students were recently honored by Downers Grove Junior Woman's Club (DGJWC) for their original artwork. The students, who attend junior high or middle school in Downers Grove, were given the club's annual Junior High Art awards from among 22 submissions.

Each winner will receive an award certificate and a cash prize. Their work will also be on display at Community Savings Bank, 4801 W. Belmont Ave., throughout March.

Audrey Graves of Herrick Middle School earned the first place award for seventh grade for Significance of Flowers, a colored pencil and acrylic drawing. The second place award for seventh grade went to Taylor Ciucci of O'Neill Middle School for an oil, pencil and paint piece entitled Eerie Night.

The first place award for eighth graders was given to Herrick Middle School's Eva Henrikson for Mysteries of My Dream World, a watercolor and colored pencil illustration. Second place in the eighth grade category went to Dilan Mehta of Avery Coonley School for a pencil drawing entitled A Million Feathers.

Best in Show honors went to Sarah Phillips of St. Joseph Catholic School for an oil pastel piece called The Hope for Spring. Phillips's piece depicts a brightly colored flower with a sunshiny center.

"I created it to lift people's spirits during these times of uncertainty and division in our country and world," Phillips said in a YouTube video.

Allison McNulty, who co-chairs the DGJWC Education Committee said in a statement, "The talent displayed in the submissions was outstanding. It was such a joy to review the entries and it was evident how much thought and hard work was put into each submission."