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.

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

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.

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

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards has an impressive legacy dating back to 1923. Over the years, the Awards have grown to become the longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in the U.S., and the nation’s largest source of scholarships for creative young artists and writers. A noteworthy roster of past winners includes Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Robert Redford, Joyce Carol Oates, Stephen King, John Updike, and many more.

Each year, the Alliance partners with more than 100 visual and literary arts organizations across the country to bring The Awards to local communities. Teens in grades 7 through 12 can apply in 28 categories of art and writing for the chance to earn scholarships and have their works exhibited or published. Submissions are juried by luminaries in the visual and literary arts, some of whom are past award recipients. Panelists look for works that best exemplify originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision.

Gold Key Regional winners compete on the National level for Medalist Awards. Danielle’s work was selected by some of the foremost leaders in the visual and literary arts for excellence in originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision. Less than 2,000 works received a National Medal, which places them within the top 1% of all submissions!

Congratulations to Danielle Amlin (12) who earned a Silver Medal for her piece, “Closet Chaos”.