Maine Excellence in Arts Education

The Maine Arts Commission honors arts education by curating an annual student art exhibit featured throughout the Maine State House Complex. Maine Excellence in Arts Education recognizes the high quality of visual and performing arts by hosting a celebration that includes a reception for students and teachers alike.

The 2025 Exhibit

Annually, the Maine Arts Commission partners with Maine College of Art & Design (MECA&D) and Maine’s two Congressional offices to highlight exemplary high school student artists. Almost one thousand Maine works of art were submitted this year to a national youth competition, the Scholastic Arts & Literary Awards, organized locally by MECA&D.

Coming from all over the state, 230 students received awards through the Scholastic competition.

The 44 works on display in the Maine Excellence in Arts Education exhibition at the Burton R. Cross Building at the Capitol Complex were selected from those Scholastics winners by a separate jury and represent the breadth of creativity of high school students from around the state. Two works, one from each Congressional district, were also selected to be displayed at the US Capitol for a year through the Congressional Art Awards program. Runners up are included in the Maine Excellence exhibition.

All these student artists thrive through the careful and dedicated mentoring of their art teachers, along with the encouragement of their friends and families. The Maine Arts Commission is honored to share this inspiring work with Capitol complex visitors. The exhibition at the Cross building will be on display March 12 – May 30, 2025.

A ceremony in Portland on March 8th, 2025, brought together these students, teachers and families to celebrate their accomplishments and encourage their continued creativity.

Jay Ackley
Love for my Dog by Jay Ackley

Brunswick High School
Teacher: Colleen Kearney-Graffam
Abby Albert
It's Never Over by Abby Albert

Waterville Senior High School
Teacher: Jessica Hamilton-Jones
Andy Brown
It's Never Over by Andy Brown

Thornton Academy
Teacher: Jodi Thomas
Jenni Campbell
Inside and Out, You See Me by Jenni Campbell

Oxford Hills Tech School
Teacher: Virginia Valdes
Kaedyn Carter
Head in the Clouds by Kaedyn Carter

Kennebunk High School
Teacher: Katie Mooney
Brynna Casey
Not Yet, Little One by Brynna Casey

Scarborough High School
Teacher: NA
Nalin Chau
Lilies by Nalin Chau

Portland Arts & Tech High School
Teacher: Elizabeth Long
Kayla Chen
Silent Gestures by Kayla Chen

Brunswick High School
Teacher: Jennie Driscoll
Gabriel Curtis
Cold Mystery by Gabriel Curtis

Old Town High School
Teacher: Joshua Curtis
Eva Cusano
Converge by Eva Cusano

North Yarmouth Academy
Teacher: Colby Myer
Eva Dews
We Won't Be Silent by Eva Dews

Greely High School
Teacher: Ceri Botto
Zsa Zsa Dolley
Pains of The Artist by Zsa Zsa Dolley

Portland Arts & Tech High School
Teacher: Elizabeth Long
Emerson Dunlap
Jellyfish Person, 2024 by Emerson Dunlap

Maranacook High School
Teacher: Jeremy Smith
Jenni Campbell
Longing by Anna Faatz

Gorham High School
Teacher: NA
Cody  Fortier
Mt. Katahdin Halfway Point by Cody Fortier

Brewer High School
Teacher: NA
Elsie Gendron
Peekaboo by Elsie Gendron

Sanford High School
Teacher: Margaret Warner
Sara Giddens
Torn Apart by Sara Giddens

Wells High School
Teacher: Emily Clayton
Orlando Guzman
Close Eye by Orlando Guzman

Hebron Academy
Teacher: Jude Blakelock
Leah Henry
Candy Boy by Leah Henry

Hebron Academy
Teacher: Jude Blakelock
Ana Kelly
A Quiet Corner by Ana Kelly

Falmouth High School
Teacher: NA
Jenni Campbell
Print of a Monarch Butterfly 6/14 by Charlotte Lallemand

Falmouth High School
Teacher: Nancy Goldstone
Emma Levesque
Native America by Emma Levesque

Calais Middle High School
Teacher: Bobbi Tardif
Ella Lewis
Beneath the Surface by Ella Lewis

Baxter Academy Tech & Science
Teacher: Matthew Barnes
Emma Levesque
Love In Gold by Elsa Liberatore

Kennebunk High School
Teacher: Katie Mooney
Claire Lindquist
quiet by Claire Lindquist

Berwick Academy
Teacher: Raegan Russell
Lee MacCorkle
Wry Neck Chicken by Lee MacCorkle

Lincoln Academy
Teacher: Nina Sylvia
Meredith  McGonigle
AP Bio by Meredith McGonigle

R W Traip Academy
Teacher: Kimberly Lightcastle
Emma Levesque
Untitled by Jenny Morrill

Waynflete School
Teacher: Leslie Murray
Jasper Murphy
Home by Jasper Murphy

Wells High School
Teacher: Emily Clayton
Griffin Nedelka
Source 4 by Griffin Nedelka

Berwick Academy
Teacher: Raegan Russell
Hailey Pike
WHO'S IN CONTROL? by Hailey Pike

Oxford Hills Tech School
Teacher: Virginia Valdes
Samantha  Poulin
Blinded by Samantha Poulin

Gray-New Gloucester High School
Teacher: Mary Pennington
Kymani Riley
Uninvited Guests by Kymani Riley

Bangor High School
Teacher: Susan Bryand
Parker Addison Russell
Double Whammy by Parker Addison Russell

Maine Arts Academy
Teacher: Russ Cox
Salwa Saeed
A beautiful shot by Salwa Saeed

Hebron Academy
Teacher: Stefania Motta
Ella Seymour
are you there? by Ella Seymour

Lincoln Academy
Teacher: Nina Sylvia
Rowan Shanti
Flossing by Rowan Shanti

Mt Blue High School
Teacher: Pamela Chernesky
Marsden Shetterly
August 2024 by Marsden Shetterly

Freeport High School
Teacher: Kimberly Medsker-Mehalic
Parker Smith
foundry design 5 by Parker Smith

Rangeley Lakes Regional School
Teacher: Maryam Emami
Bernie Stelmach
The Awakening by Bernie Stelmach

Kents Hill School
Teacher: NA
Olivia Tompkins
The Puppet Queen by Olivia Tompkins

Spruce Mountain High School
Teacher: NA
Shirley Truland
Loss of Self by Shirley Truland

Rangeley Lakes Regional School
Teacher: Liz Thompson
Eliot Verry-Gardella
Atlantic Obelisk by Eliot Verry-Gardella

Baxter Academy Tech & Science
Teacher: NA
Mara Willey
Ropes by Mara Willey

Bonny Eagle High School
Teacher: Sarah Templeton Bush