Suffolk Sister Cities Student Showcase

Suffolk Sister Cities International 35th Annual Student Showcase

Suffolk Center invites the community to the 35th Annual Student Showcase with theme: ‘Climate Scape: Resilient Cities for Tomorrow’s Climate’.

Students from Suffolk Public Schools and Nansemond-Suffolk Academy created 126 Art entries, 51 Authors entries and 13 Music entries inspired by the 2024 theme: “CLIMATE SCAPE: Resilient Cities for Tomorrow’s Climate’. Visual artists submitted entries in 5 categories: Drawing, Painting, Photography, Mixed Media and Digital Art. Authors competed in Essay and Poetry categories and new this year, the Music category, where students submit their original compositions.

Congratulations to all the 2024 YAAS Winners, including:
POETRY 1st Place: Michaela Bouknight- “Our Home”- Nansemond River High School
POETRY ‘BEST IN SHOW’: Collin Legrand, “ The Smog We Breathe”- Nansemond Suffolk Academy
DIGITAL ART 1st Place: Brady Horton, ‘Underwater City’ – Nansemond Suffolk Academy
PAINTING 1st Place: Leila Goode, ‘City of Leaves’ – Kings Fork High School
MIXED MEDIA 1st Place: Julia Adams, ‘The Struggle to Stay Afloat’ – Nansemond Suffolk Academy
PHOTOGRAPHY 1st Place: Abby Moody, ‘World on Fire’ – Nansemond Suffolk Academy
DRAWING 1st Place: Cayla Middleton, ’Greener Side’ – Nansemond Suffolk Academy
ART ‘BEST IN SHOW’: Arianna Maldonado, Drawing ‘Untitled’ – Kings Fork High School
ART ‘SUFFOLK SISTER CITIES CHOICE’ AWARD: Liliana Boyd – ‘Shared Earth’ – Lakeland High School
MUSIC 1st Place: Bryce White, ‘Take a Musical Walk’ – Lakeland High School
MUSIC ‘BEST IN SHOW’: Kayleigh Shenton, ‘The Dismal’ – Lakeland High School

Young Artists and Authors Showcase
Each year, the Young Artists and Authors Showcase encourages youth from around the globe to express the mission of Sister Cities International through original artwork and literature. All students must submit their work based on a designated theme that is announced each year. Selected artwork and essays/poems are showcased at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts for a week in the spring, beginning with a beautiful opening reception, to which the Mayor and members of City Council are invited. Winning artwork is then sent from Suffolk to Washington, D.C., where a panel of judges selects the final winners based on originality, composition, and theme interpretation.

This program is a great opportunity to reach out into the community and engage local English and art teachers, and reach a student audience that may not already be included in sister city programming. After the finalists for art and literature (at the national level) have been announced, they embark on a year-long tour hosted by local sister city programs on a monthly basis. 

Suffolk Center Exhibitions are free and open to the public, Tuesdays – Saturdays, 10 AM – 4 PM.

Big Thanks to our 2023-24 Gallery Sponsors: