All pieces for the Helen S. Boylan Foundation writing competition are due on Friday; the art and photography contest pieces are due printed and matted April 17. Art and Photography should be turned in to teacher Rebecca Harrison in room 119 and writing pieces should be turned in to teacher Renee Ramsey in room 410; all three competitions require the proper paperwork to be entered.
“I think it’s an incredible opportunity,” Harrison said. “Students that typically would not have been able to participate in a photography competition due to the crack the like the cost of prints, they’re able to now have their piece printed in a professional manner that is competition worthy for very low or no cost.”
Each category for art, photography and writing offers a cash prize for first through third place. First place receives $500, second receives $300 and third receives $100.
“This is special for Linda, and it’s because of the support of the Helena Boyle foundation,” Harrison said. “ I think it’s a really fantastic opportunity that we have that awards photography in a separate category, because it allows those artists to shine in their own medium, where they probably would have been overlooked if they’d all just been lumped together.”
Photography and art require a form to be filled out that states the artist’s name, grade, the title of their piece and a brief description of their piece. Interested students can find the form in room 119.
“I think that in all things, Lindell does a really fantastic job of celebrating all of our students’ strengths,” Harrison said. “I love that the Boylan Foundation and the Boylan Foundation supports the fine arts, not just in this competition, but every single opportunity that I have to write a grant for them.”
Art and photography entries must be submitted as a physical copy. Digital art and photos must be printed and matted.
“ I just love the opportunity for our creative, artistic students to shine in this avenue and their chosen Avenue,” Harrison said. “And I can’t thank the Helen s Boylan foundation enough for all of their support, continued support over the past decade that I’ve been teaching advanced art.”
The writing competition consists of three different sections that are judged separately: nonfiction, fiction and poetry. Students must turn in their writing as a printed copy without staples.
“It is a great chance for our students to win cash prizes for creative writing,” Renee Ramsey, teacher and Boylan facilitator, said.
Participants’ names must not be in any writing that is submitted. Instead, a cover sheet including the students name, the title of the piece and the division the student is entering must be turned in along with the competition piece.
“I am really excited to be a judge for the Boylan contest this year because I think this particular contest is a great opportunity for students to showcase their writing skills,” teacher and judge Kristin Schlessman said. “We have so many talented writers and I can’t wait to see their submissions.”
Senior Sydney Hines won first place in the nonfiction writing competition in 2024. Her piece was entitled After the Chrysalis.
“I was ecstatic when I learned I won the Boylan nonfiction contest last year,” Hines said. “I worked diligently on my piece, and felt very confident it would do good.”
Senior Andrew Kinsell submitted four pieces into the writing contest. This is his first year participating in the Helen S. Boylan Writing Competition.
“Honestly, I’ve been meaning to do the Boylan writing contest because I feel like it’s a great way to get people to start writing,” Kinsel said. “I feel like teh boylan writing contest is amazing because it is a way to award people who are starting to get into writing.”
