Two students in the Commercial & Advertising Art program at the Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS) have been recognized on the national level for their artwork by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program.

Nola Delcourt, a Casco Bay High School senior, won a National Gold Medal for exceptional work in the “Editorial Cartoon” category with her work titled, “The Fast Food Underbelly.” Zsa Zsa Dolley, whose sending school is Gorham High School, was awarded a National Silver Medal for exceptional work in the “Painting” category with her work titled “The Pains of the Artist."

Nola says that the Commercial Art program has been her favorite class of all time. She plans to attend college in the fall to earn a studio art degree in Illustration. Nola is considering attending the University of Hartford, where she recently participated in an art competition for admitted students.

Zsa Zsa credits her award to PATHS, saying that she wouldn’t be where she is now without having attended the Commercial Art program. She plans to attend college in the fall to earn her art degree in graphic design with a minor in psychology at either the University of Connecticut or the University of Hartford.

In addition, at the Maine regional level, PATHS had 16 student awardees overall, whose recognitions ranged from gold key and silver key to honorable mention. The students’ work – in the categories of Comic Art, Animation, Digital Design, Illustration and Painting – was among about 1,000 submissions to the contest from throughout the state.

Since 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have recognized the vision, ingenuity, and talent of our nation’s youth, and provided opportunities for creative teens to be celebrated. The competition is the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition initiative for teens. Learn more.

Nationwide, nearly 110,000 teens entered more than 310,000 original works of art in 28 categories. Their work was selected by some of the foremost leaders in the visual and literary arts for excellence in originality, skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision.

Photos: (Above) "The Fast Food Underbelly," award-winning editorial cartoon by CBHS student Nola Delcourt. (Below) Liz Long, Commercial & Advertising Art instructor with CBHS student Nola Delcourt; "The Pains of the Artist," award-winning painting by Gorham High School student Zsa Zsa Dolley. Gorham High School student Zsa Zsa Dolley also is pictured with Liz Long, Commercial & Advertising Art program instructor.