Joliet Central High School art students earned a combined $1,408,000 million in college scholarships at the 13th annual Illinois High School Art Exhibition

The event is one of the nation’s largest and most competitive showcases of student artwork, Joliet Township High School District 204 said.

The exhibition ran March 14 through April 18 at the Bridgeport Art Center in Chicago and drew thousands of students, educators and college representatives.

Students from more than 125 Illinois high schools participated in the exhibition, which featured approximately 1,000 of the state’s top young artists and offered access to more than $71 million in annual scholarship opportunities, the news release.

Joliet Central students Amber Davis, Madelyn Gloodt, Angela Guzman, Rauri O’Hara, Mia Cardenas, and Mayte Perez Serrato were selected to exhibit their work; Joliet Central juniors Leslie Espinoza, Angela Guzman and Diego Tirado were selected to exhibit work for the Early College Program; and Saleen Canales, Mia Cardenas, Aron Chimmy, Amber Davis, Montserrat Gabriel Aguilera, Evelyn Lopez, Rauri O’Hara, Leticia Reyes Torres, and Tayla Stallings were chosen to exhibit work at the Senior Scholarship Exhibition.

Joliet Central also received a Top 20 Scholarship Schools Award, and individual honors included an Honorable Mention in Mixed Media for Rauri O’Hara and an Outstanding Achievement in Portfolio Quality Award for Tayla Stallings, the release said.

“The achievements of these Joliet Central artists reflect not only their hard work and dedication but also the guidance and inspiration provided by their art teachers, Nyssa Grzyb and Rachel LaVine,” District 204 said.

“This recognition reflects the dedication our students bring to their craft every day,” said Joliet Central art teacher Nyssa Grzyb in the release. “They are not only developing strong technical skills, but also finding their voice as artists.”

Joliet Central art teacher Rachel LaVine said the experience opens doors for students beyond high school.

“These opportunities allow our students to connect their passion for art with real pathways to college and careers,” LaVine said. “We are incredibly proud of the way they represented Joliet Central.”

The Illinois High School Art Exhibition is organized by ArtConnectED and includes exhibitions, a college fair and career exploration opportunities for students and educators across the state.