The City School District of New Rochelle put out the following press release (h/t Hall Monitor)
The New Rochelle High School chapter of the National Art Honor Society inducted 15 new members during a ceremony held Wednesday morning, March 11 at the school. The students qualified for members based on three measures: Artistic Scholarship and Achievement; Character, and Service.
New inductees are Kelsey Francella, Amy Ginghold, Alica Heinemann, Karen Hernandez, Sergio Hernandez, Danielle Kleinman, Julia Marvel, Victor Morales, Jessica Orellana, Yumna Piracha, Victoria Stoerger, Wajiha Syed, Janneth Valencia, Aleksander Vukasinovic, and YanetZepeda.Grace Fraioli, art teacher at New Rochelle High School and sponsor of the high school’s chapter of the National Art Honor Society, outlined the chapter’s standards and activities. To be considered for membership in the National Art Honor Society, students must maintain a constant high grade point average in the art program, be recommended by teachers, counselors, and the community, and undergo a review of their artwork. Students are required to donate time in service to the Community. This year the chapter’s community service project was to sponsor art education for underserved children in South Africa through ArtWorks for Youth.
For the second year, the National Art Honor Society presented an award to dedicated members who have shown excellence and a dedicated spirit to the pursuit of art, who furthers creative abilities and talents of the Society’s members through their leadership, and who brings art to the attention of the school and the community through their invaluable community service. Advisor and art teacher Grace Fraioli presented certificates of recognition to Giovanny Gomez, co-president of the New Rochelle High School chapter of the National Art Honor Society, and Co-Vice President Sandra Woodruff. The guest speaker was artist and teacher Alexi Rutsch Brock, who last summer visited South Africa last summer to teach art there. She spoke of her experience, described conditions she observed, showed images from her travels, and explained the sponsorship.
The theme of this year’s induction ceremony was “Growth.” Traditionally Art Honor Society members as a group create a work of art for the school based on the theme. Their sculpture of a tree is on view in the Gallery of the Museum of Art and Culture.Attending the ceremony was Board of Education members Mrs. Mary Jane Reddington and Chrisanne Petrone, Superintendent of Schools Richard Organisciak, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Korostoff, and New Rochelle High School Principal Don Conetta. Coordinator of Art and Music Dr. Dominic Guastaferro, who will be retiring in June, was recognized for his dedication to the arts.