OHHS Art and Design Teacher, Jamie Schorsch, Named OAEA Art Educator of the Year and Advocate of Honor Award Winner

Schorsch on her Fulbright international field experience in Varanasi, India.

Art educator Jamie Schorsch recently received remarkable recognition from the Ohio Art Education Association, earning both the Advocate of Honor Award and the Ohio Art Educator of the Year Award, two of the organization’s most distinguished honors.

The Advocate of Honor Award recognizes individuals who expand their impact beyond the classroom by taking on leadership roles in advocacy and community engagement for visual arts education. Recipients actively champion art education outside their daily teaching responsibilities by recruiting others to join advocacy efforts, speaking directly to policymakers on key issues, and contributing to initiatives at the state and/or national level.

The Ohio Art Educator of the Year Award is presented to an educator who exemplifies excellence in teaching, demonstrates a profound impact on students, and shows an ongoing commitment to the advancement of art education. The OAEA Art Educator of the Year Award is the organization’s highest honor, recognizing long-term dedication to both art education and OAEA. Recipients demonstrate a strong, consistent teaching philosophy, leadership in innovative curriculum and methodology, and active involvement in advancing the field through research, writing, and engagement with current issues. They also show leadership beyond the local level at the state or national stage.

For Schorsch, the recognition is both meaningful and humbling. Her journey into teaching was anything but conventional. She did not initially plan to become an art educator, but always sensed that her future would be rooted in the arts. Raised by a single mother who worked tirelessly to support her family, Schorsch attended Walnut Hills High School as a self-described average student before becoming the first in her family to pursue higher education.

Her time at the University of Cincinnati’s DAAP program proved both formative and challenging. Balancing the demands of coursework with employment, she ultimately stepped away during her junior year, uncertain if she would return to college at all. She returned to complete her Bachelors of Fine Arts, with no clear plan for the future. One year after graduation, Schorsch reentered academia through the Master of Arts in Art Education program at DAAP with a full scholarship. Despite facing significant anxiety around public speaking, she discovered that teaching was a natural fit.

More than two decades later, Schorsch has built a career defined by passion, resilience, and a deep belief in the transformative power of art. She views art not only as a discipline, but as a vital tool for expression, reflection, and meaning-making. Throughout her career, Schorsch has remained committed to empowering students to recognize the value of art in their own lives, to use it as a means of processing experiences, communicating ideas, and engaging with the world around them.

This dual recognition from the Ohio Art Education Association stands as a testament not only to her individual accomplishments, but also to the collective community of students, colleagues, and mentors who have shaped and supported her journey.

2026 OHHS Permanent Art Collection Winners Announced!

Maria Elena Arrivillaga Munoz and Evelyn Mendez-Coronado are the class of 2026 Permanent Art Collection winners and their work is now a part of a continuing tradition of artistic excellence at Oak Hills.

The Senior Permanent Art Collection started over 32 years ago when the Student Council decided to enrich the daily experience of Oak Hills High School students by hanging art posters throughout the building. This sparked a partnership between the Art & Design Department and Student Council- the creation of a Permanent Student Art Collection competition. The competition was established for seniors who have enrolled in any art and design course during their time at Oak Hills High School. Students could submit up to 2 original artworks to be juried, with the chosen works to be professionally framed and presented to our school district at awards night.

These original artworks have been framed by Picture Frame Co. and will be added to the growing collection of over 155 artworks prominently displayed throughout Oak Hills High School and District Office.

Maria and Evelyn will be honored at the upcoming Visual Art and Design Signing and Senior Art Awards Ceremony on May 12th, at Oak Hills High School, beginning at 7:00 pm.

OHHS Art and Design Students Exhibiting in the 2026 Congressional Art Competition: District 1

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. Since the competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. This is a prestigious competition. The winning artwork will represent the 1st Congressional District of Ohio in Washington, D.C., by being displayed in the U.S. Capitol as part of a year-long exhibit.

This year, Greg Landsman, District 1 US House Representative, is hosting the exhibition of works and awards ceremony at the Pendleton Art Center, 1310 Pendleton Street, on Saturday, April 25th, from 1:00-2:00 pm. A panel of experienced artists and art professionals judged the entries based on creativity, technique, originality, and adherence to the theme. Winners will be selected for each category, from these category winners, an overall winner will be chosen to have their artwork displayed at the US Capitol Building for one year. The winning artist receives a free round-trip airfare for the national winners’ reception in Washington, D.C.

Congratulations to this year’s OHHS Art and Design students who reside in District 1 who submitted work for this year’s exhibition and competition! Landsman’s team was truly inspired by the creativity, talent, and powerful interpretations of this year’s theme, “Two Fifty: The Real Identity of America.” Join us in celebrating their accomplishments on Saturday and stay tuned for awards announcements.

Maria Elena Arrivillaga Munoz
Sara Sieve

OHHS Ceramics 2 Students Head to QCC!

Mrs. Ambs’ Ceramics 2 students had an amazing visit to Queen City Clay this week! They got hands-on experience with wheel throwing and hand building, guided by industry professionals. Students also toured the gallery and studio spaces and even enjoyed a kiln-baked lasagna lunch. A big thank you to the Oak Hills Alumni & Educational Foundation for helping make this opportunity possible!

Experiences like this give our students a chance to explore the incredible art scene Cincinnati has to offer.

2025-2026 OHHS PTA Reflections State Level Winner Announced for “I Belong”

The State level PTA Reflections winners have been announced. “I Belong” is the theme for this year’s PTA Reflections Program which has been bringing the arts to life from more than 10 million students since 1969. Reflections encourages students of all ages to unleash creative talents and be inspired; express themselves imaginatively in their artwork; experience the fun and joy of making art; tap into critical-thinking skills to create art inspired by the annual theme, and receive positive recognition for their original works of art. It was an exciting year and the State level PTA was honored to receive hundreds of entries from around the state. This year, all 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners to be honored at the annual Reflections Luncheon on Saturday, April 25th, 2026 taking place at the 119th annual Ohio PTA Convention in Columbus. 

Congratulations to the following OHHS Art and Design student on their accomplishments:

Photography
Alejandra Lui, “The Hearth is Home”, Award of Outstanding Achievement