Union Springs High School students made an impressive statement on the regional stage at the 2026 Scholastic Art Awards, earning a total of 12 awards across nine students, including three major honors—a remarkable achievement among schools from across Central New York.

Leading the way was Hannah McHenry, who earned four awards for her work. She received an Honorable Mention, a Gold Key, and an Honorable Mention for her portfolio, while her ceramic piece, “Stress Ball,” captured the Clayscapes Best Ceramic Award, recognizing it as the top ceramic work in the entire regional show.

Brynn Akins also delivered an outstanding performance, earning the Art Store Award for Best Drawing for her piece “The Imperceivable.” In addition, Brynn received an American Visions Award, one of the most prestigious honors in the Scholastic Art Awards program, recognizing her work as “Best of Show” among all regional Gold Key entries.

Together, the three major awards earned by Union Springs students could total between $400 and $500 in scholarship recognition, further underscoring the significance of their accomplishments.

In a competition that included schools such as Fayetteville-Manlius, Jamesville-DeWitt, Lowville, Auburn, Whitesboro, East Syracuse-Minoa, and more, Union Springs students earned Best Drawing and Best Ceramics honors across the entire regional exhibition—a point of pride for the school and community.

Additional award-winning students included:

• Charylanne Darling – Silver Key

• Grace Boliva – Silver Key

• Greta Staehr – Silver Key

• Izzy VanHouten – Gold Key

• Kinsley Loveless – Silver Key

• Kylie Lawton – Honorable Mention

• Riley Kozub – Silver Key

Union Springs High School art teacher Jason Charles praised his students’ dedication and creativity, saying:

“These students put countless hours into refining their work, pushing their ideas, and trusting their creative voices. To see them recognized at this level—especially among so many talented schools—is incredibly rewarding. I couldn’t be more proud of what they accomplished.”

The Scholastic Art Awards are the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens. This year’s results highlight the exceptional talent, hard work and artistic excellence thriving at Union Springs High School.