The annual AP Art and Design “Artists of Tomorrow, Today” Exhibition stands as a powerful culmination of dedication, imagination, and growth. This year’s exhibition featured the exceptional work of students who have spent their high school years mastering technical skill, exploring personal vision, and investigating the world around them through the lens of visual art. These young artists have gone beyond classroom expectations, engaging in deep, sustained inquiry and creating bodies of work that speak with confidence, creativity, and clarity.

At the heart of the exhibition is a celebration of artistic voice and the courage it takes to share it. From bold conceptual statements to finely rendered studies, each portfolio reveals hours of discipline, moments of inspiration, and the collaborative support of a thriving community of young creators. The Oak Hills Art and Design Department honored these accomplishments with a series of distinguished awards at this year’s senior recognition ceremony.

Outstanding Senior Artist Award

Recognizing extraordinary commitment to technique, critical and creative thinking, collaboration, media exploration, and personal voice, the Outstanding Senior Artist Award celebrates the very best of what student artists can achieve. This year’s recipients—Molly Audretch, Grace Gray, Alysse Niewoehner, Annie Riley, Lizzie Schreibeis, and Jordan Tinsley—have consistently modeled artistic excellence. Their work has earned numerous accolades in regional and national competitions, including the Scholastic Art Awards, SOS ART Youth Exhibition, Congressional Art Exhibition, and inclusion in the national publication Celebrating Art.

Notably, Lizzie Schreibeis was honored as a Top 25 Governor’s Award of Excellence winner for the prestigious Ohio Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition, and she exhibited alongside Molly Audretch in both the main Governor’s Exhibition and the Cameo Exhibition at the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Molly, Grace, Annie, and Lizzie also earned the highest possible AP score of 5 during their junior year for their AP Art and Design portfolios—an extraordinary accomplishment reflecting both vision and skill. Their dedication, leadership, and unwavering pursuit of excellence make them true standouts in the Oak Hills visual arts community.

Outstanding Art Historian

Art history challenges students to explore over 30,000 years of artistic tradition across diverse cultures and civilizations. This year, two students rose to that challenge with passion and perseverance: Molly Audretch and Samantha Gardner. Their enthusiasm, curiosity, and commitment to understanding the context and significance of artworks from every corner of the globe were unmatched. Samantha Gardner’s eagerness to delve into each new unit with fresh questions and insights was a highlight of the classroom, while Molly Audretch used her studies to inform the themes and concepts explored in her AP portfolio’s Sustained Investigation. Their contributions demonstrate the powerful connection between creating and understanding art. For this, they are honored as this year’s Outstanding Art Historians.

National Art Honor Society Service Award

Art, when combined with service, becomes a force for good. Molly Audretch and Lizzie Schreibeis have shown exceptional dedication to using their talents to uplift and inspire their community, embodying the mission of the National Art Honor Society. Their impact includes creating school murals, preparing community exhibitions, and designing portraits for children around the world through the Memory Project. Molly’s leadership extended into publication, co-authoring a cartoon book that addresses gentrification for young readers, while Lizzie served as a driving force behind multiple school and community arts events.These students have given generously of their time and talents, balancing rigorous studio practice with compassionate service. Their efforts leave a legacy of creativity and kindness that will echo through the halls of Oak Hills for years to come.

Changemaker Award

The inaugural Changemaker in Art Award honors students whose creative vision serves as a catalyst for dialogue and change. This year’s award recognizes Molly Audretch and Lizzie Schreibeis, two artists whose work boldly confronts issues such as social justice, environmental concerns, mental health, and human rights. Their art serves not only as personal expression but as public statement—a call to action, an invitation to empathy, and a beacon for hope. Whether through murals, illustrations, or personal portfolios, their voices have resonated far beyond the classroom, proving that art can move minds and hearts toward a better future.

Luminary Award

The Luminary Award, also introduced this year, honors those who create light through their art during dark or difficult times. This year’s recipients, Ava Bunke and Grace Gray, have used their artistic voice to process personal and global challenges with grace and emotional depth. Their artworks provide comfort, provoke thought, and foster human connection. By channeling their experiences into visual narratives, they’ve helped us all better understand what it means to be vulnerable, resilient, and deeply human.

Permanent Art Collection

Since its inception over 30 years ago, the Senior Permanent Art Collection has celebrated the legacy of Oak Hills artists by preserving original works throughout the high school and district office. Seniors are invited to submit original pieces for juried selection, with the chosen works professionally framed by the Picture Frame Company. This year’s selected artworks join a growing collection of over 150 pieces, each one contributing to the cultural richness of the Oak Hills environment and inspiring future generations of artists and learners.

Several of our graduating seniors are taking the next bold step in their creative journey by pursuing art and design at the postsecondary level. These students have been accepted into prestigious programs across the region and nation, where they will continue to develop their artistic voice, refine their technical skills, and explore the many ways visual arts shape and reflect the world. Their passion, dedication, and courage to pursue a creative path are inspiring, and we look forward to seeing how they continue to grow and contribute to the ever-evolving field of art and design.

Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees. Your journey is just beginning, and we can’t wait to see where your art leads next.