National Arts Society Taps 23 at Watchung Hills

Twenty-three Watchung Hills Regional High School students were inducted into the National Art Honor Society on the evening of Nov. 15.

On their way to the  Performing  Arts Center, where the induction was to be held, visitors and guests had the opportunity to browse an impressive  sampling of the honorees’ work—paintings, photography, sculpture, fine arts, ceramics—which had been assembled in the main atrium. These were incorporated into a brochure distributed to guests.    

Arts Department member Brian Dursee spoke to the assemblage about his work as a professional artist and of the influence his family had, from his earliest days, on his development as an artist. He encouraged students to continue the pursuit of art for their own enjoyment even if they do not become art professionals.

Co-presidents of the group, Casey Walsh and Alexa Balonik, also made brief remarks.                                       

The inductees were introduced to the audience by Art Department members Joan Thomson and Vincent Colabella who, with Principal Tom DiGanci, distributed certificates and lapel pins to the newly appointed members of the Society.    

They are Balonik and Walsh, Anastasia Livcha, Clara Hong, Hannah Reed, Kathleen Finnegan, Haley Rawson, John Young, Jacquelyn Salustro, Neha Agrawal, Morgan Hoover, Sarah Isaacs, Ariana Sluyter, Carlyn Vautin, Sruchika Sabu, Deborah Liaw, Mia Lipari, Jose Varela, Ed Berliner, Amanda Waller, Zoe Ambinder, Michael Briski and Kevin Wilson. 

The National Art Honor Society, founded in 1978, was initiated at Watchung Hills in 2007. The honors group, which is sponsored by the National Art Educators Association, goes beyond recognizing students with outstanding ability in the arts. It encourages them to help increase artistic and aesthetic awareness in the community outside of school, and to mentor others and help develop their artistic skills.

Students must apply yearly for membership, a rigorous procedure. Applicants must be in the third level of a sequential program (for example, Fine Arts III, Photography III) and must be endorsed by an arts educator who is in good standing with the National Art Educators Association. They are required to write two essays, one autobiographical and one about an artist they admire. They also require the recognition of four teachers or mentors, and must have a grade point average of 3.2 overall, and a 3.75 average in art. They must also have displayed a piece of their work in a local venue, for example, a bank, retail outlet, library, professional office.

Most of the applicants will also have participated in and won awards in professionally adjudicated programs. They will have been involved in service efforts, such as school beautification and working with autistic children in summer camps or hospitals.