Mikala Mawhorter, junior at Wawasee High School won first in her grade level for “Wakesetter.”

By MADISSON HEINL
Communications Specialist Center For Lakes & Streams

The Center for Lakes & Streams at Grace College announced the winners of the 2015 Wonderful Water Student Art Contest last week.

Each April, students grades 4-12 from Kosciusko County school districts are invited to submit their depiction of local waterways. Artists with winning entries receive cash prizes, the privilege of having their artwork on display in the community, and their pieces featured in a calendar.

Artwork was judged on creativity, artistic merit, compatibility of any wildlife with its habitat and depiction of the theme “Seasons of the Lakes.” Judging was conducted by the Grace College Art Department and Center for Lakes & Streams staff.

Delaney Ray, senior at Whitko High School, placed sixth in her grade category for “Put Your Feet Up.”

Over 330 students from 13 schools entered the competition. Artwork was judged in 6 separate grade categories: 4, 5, 6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12. First through sixth places were awarded for each category; honorable mention titles were also awarded.

A special award presentation for the winners will take place on June 20 at the Northern Indiana Lakes Festival. For more information on the Lakes Festival, go to www.lakesfestival.org.

Community members will have several opportunities to view the winning selections. The artwork will be displayed in Mount Memorial Hall at Grace College until May 15 as well as at Latte Lounge in downtown Warsaw from June 2 until June 20. Honorable mention pieces will be displayed in the Cooley Science Center at Grace College until June 20.

This year’s winners are:

Fourth Grade

• First  — Maddie Silveus, Warsaw Christian School “Stormy Waters”
• Second — Finley Hobbs, Warsaw Christian School “Sunset Swan”
• Third — Hallie Hertzler, homeschool “Duck Sunset”
• Fourth — Kaylee Jones, Warsaw Christian School “Swanny River”
• Fifth — Lily Jones, homeschool “Sunset on the Lake”
• Sixth — Josiah Miller, Warsaw Christian School “Swan Scene”
• Honorable Mention — Morgan Howett- Eisenhower Elementary “Many Drawn to Water”

Fifth Grade

• First  — Janae M. Wise, homeschool “Springtime Sunset”
• Second — Kendall Hepler, Washington STEM Academy “Tree of Thoughts”
• Third —  Anastasia Kalikova, Washington STEM Academy “Cherry Blossom Spring at the Stream”
• Fourth — Kaylee Ochoa, Lincoln Elementary “Winter Skating”
• Fifth — Derek Arter, Warsaw Christian School “Sunset Water”
• Sixth — Dania Presteguin, Washington STEM Academy “Living by the Lake”
• Honorable Mention — Carissa Koontz, Washington STEM Academy “Untitled;” Gloria Slabaugh, Milford School “Sunset on the Lake; Yesenia Borja, Jefferson Elementary “Water Lake”

Sixth Grade

• First  — Faith Delp, Washington STEM Academy “Fall River”
• Second — Ella Beezley, Milford School “Sunset Mountains”
• Third —  Kaitlin Neese, Tippecanoe Valley Middle School “Along the Horizon”
• Fourth — Olivia Miller, 6th Grade-Claypool “Birches by the Lake”
• Fifth — Tabitha Baldwin, Tippecanoe Valley Middle School “Winter Morning by the Lake”
• Sixth — Dailyn Prater, Washington STEM Academy “Untitled”
• Honorable Mention — Nathaniel Lechlitner, Eisenhower Elementary “Fishing off the Pier”

Seventh-Eighth Grades

• First  — Megan Ousley, eighth grade, Edgewood Middle School “Beauty with the Water”
• Second — Chevy Teeter, eighth grade, Tippecanoe Valley Middle School “On Ice”
• Third —  Grant Knight, seventh grade, Edgewood Middle School “Wood Ducks”
• Fourth — Gustavo Cartajena, eighth grade, Edgewood Middle School “The Lonely View”
• Fifth — Cheryce A. Wise, seventh grade, homeschool “Sunset”
• Sixth — Lauren Sponseller, eighth grade, Tippecanoe Valley Middle School “Fisherman’s Best Friend”
• Honorable Mention — Mackenzie Hamilton, eighth grade, Edgewood Middle School “Friends in the Summer;” Brooke Miller, seventh grade, Edgewood Middle School “Winter Fun at the Lakes;” and Bethany Flannery, eighth grade, Milford School “Wawasee at Sunset”

Ninth-10th Grades

• First  — Hayle Yohe, 10th grade, Whitko High School “A Colorful Setting”
• Second — Kyle Herr, ninth grade, Whitko High School “Lake of Gold”
• Third —  Amy Hurd, 10th grade, Whitko High School “Winter Wanderer”
• Fourth — Kayla Chapman, 10th grade, homeschool “Walking in Cursive”
• Fifth — Riley Insley, 10th grade, Whitko High School “Down on the River”
• Sixth — Holly Obregon, 10th grade, Whitko High School “The Good Life”
• Honorable Mention — Taylor Ream, 10th grade, Whitko High School “Cranes;” Maren T. Lehman, ninth grade, Whitko High School “Splashing Summer;” and Kelsie Castle, ninth grade-Whitko High School “Luring Fish.”

11th-12th Grades

• First  — Mikala Mawhorter, 11th grade, Wawasee High School “Wakesetter”
• Second — Sarah Sensery, 12th grade, Whitko High School “Spring on the Lake”
• Third —  Taylor Trump, 11th grade, Whitko High School “Reflections”
• Fourth — Adrianna Holst, 12th grade, Whitko High School “Serenity”
• Fifth — Alicia Baxter, 12th grade, Whitko High School “Seasons to Change”
• Sixth — Delaney Ray, 12th grade, Whitko High School “Put Your Feet Up”
• Honorable Mention — DE Schockney, 12th grade, Whitko High School “A Peaceful Place;” Logan Haessig, 12th grade, Wawasee High School “Twin Turtles;” Kristen McDaniel, 11th grade, Whitko High School “Ribbit;” Ashley Bahney, 12th grade, Tippecanoe Valley High School “Autumn Sunset at the Lake;” and Isabel Warren, 12th grade, Tippecanoe Valley High School “Leopard Frog.”

This year’s contest sponsors include Biomet, the City of Warsaw Stormwater Utility, Kosciusko Community Hospital, Lake City Bank, Louis Dreyfus Commodities, Medtronic, MutualBank, Silveus Insurance Group, Tippecanoe Watershed Foundation, The Papers, Kay Young-Todd Realty and Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.

The Center for Lakes & Streams at Grace College conducts research, provides resources, engages and educates residents, and collaborates with local organizations in efforts to make the lakes and streams of Kosciusko County cleaner.