YOSEMITE — Yosemite National Park and The Ansel Adams Gallery celebrated the winners of the 9th Annual Gateway Expressions Student Art and Photography Contest, an annual event that calls on the creativity of students who live in the Yosemite community.
This year, Yosemite received a total of 241 art and photography submissions.
The contest is open to all students, grades TK-12, who live in the gateway communities of Yosemite National Park. To choose this year’s winners, employees of Yosemite National Park and park partners came together to vote on the winning submissions. Winning artwork was displayed at The Ansel Adams Gallery.
The 2019 Contest Winners Are:
*TK Art:*
*1st Place (Tie)*: *Sutsie Ludwig*, “The Picture of Half Dome,” Yosemite Valley School and *Hannah Miyako*, “El Cap,” Yosemite Valley School
*2nd Place*: *Benjamin Peterson*, “Looking at a Waterfall,” Yosemite Valley School
*3rd Place*: *Rylann Burkling*, “Colored Pencil Drawing,” Belleview Elementary
*Kindergarten-1st Grade Art:*
*1st Place*: *Kaytlyn Frabotta*, “The Falls,” Mountain Home School
*2nd Plac*e: *Jude Johnson*, “Tenaya Peak,” Yosemite Valley School
*3rd Place*: *Eliana Costa*, “Rainbow Waterfall,” Rivergold Elementary School
*Honorable Mention*: *Yizhong Niu*, “Pity on the Farmers,” Oakhurst Elementary School
*Honorable Mention*: *Penelope Phillips*, “Sequoia,” El Portal Elementary School
*2nd-3rd Grade Art*
*1st Place*: *Thatcher Ludwig*, “Starry Night,” Yosemite Valley School
*2nd Plac*e: *Judy McBrayer*, “The Howling Coyote,” Yosemite Valley School
*3rd Place*: *Jack Killian*, “A Night Up the Cables,” Yosemite Valley School
*Honorable Mention*: *Whitney Marcis*, Night Sky Half Dome, Yosemite Valley School
*Honorable Mention*: *Pyper Mitchell*, “Yosemite Stables,” El Portal Elementary School
*Honorable Mention*: *Atheena Palmieri*, “My Beautiful Tree,” Lake Don Pedro Elementary School
*4th-5th Grade Art:*
*1st Place*: *Sofia Olavarria*, “Sunset at Cathedral Peak,” Belleview Elementary School
*2nd Place*: *Elyse Groff*, “California Coyote Forest Tree Mix,” Twain Harte School
*3rd Place*: *Leyla Vega*, “Reptiles and Amphibians of Yosemite,” Belleview Elementary School
*Honorable Mention*: *Aryannah Frabotta*, “Fall in Yosemite,” Mountain Home School
*Honorable Mention*: *Leroy Portillo*, “The Bridge I Love to Ride Bikes on With My Family,” Belleview Elementary School
*6th-8th Grade Art*
*1st Place*: *Haillie Nielsen*, “In the Mind of a Child,” John Muir Academy
*2nd Plac*e: *Krista Fields*, “Water Colored Redwood Trees,” Don Pedro Elementary School
*3rd Place*: *Izibella Reyes*, “Natural Beauty,” Belleview Elementary
*Honorable Mention*: *Rya Salo**nen*, “Dazzling Half Dome,” Sierra Foothill Charter School
*Honorable Mention: **Anthony Boyer*, “Stars,” Yosemite Valley School
*9th-12th Grade Art*
*1st Place*: *Bethanny Sanchez*, “A Light to the Darkness,” Yosemite High School & Evergreen High School
*2nd Plac*e: *Michelle Keeling*, “Yosemite’s Spring Day,” Yosemite High School
*3rd Place*: *Emma Blomgren*, “Giant Sequoia ‘Wawona’ Tree 1910’s,” Yosemite High School
*Honorable Mention: **Anna Blomgren*, “Sunset Over the Valley,” Yosemite High School
*Honorable Mention:* *Megan Meyer*, “A Glimpse of Yosemite,” Yosemite High School
*Honorable Mention: **Clover Cicoletti*, “Inyo National Forest,” Yosemite High School
*Group Art*
*1st Place*: “Yosemite Love,” *Lee Vining Elementary School*
*2nd Place*: “Yosemite Firefall Glacier Point,” *Belleview Elementary School*
*Photography 6th-8th*
*1st Place*: *Jaeyanna Bolar*, “Trees in the Fall,” Sierra Foothill Charter School
*2nd Place*: *Lacey Archer*, “Annual Family Float,” Wasuma Elementary School
*3rd Place*: *Josiah Hobbs*, “#BonAppetit,” Mountain Home Charter School
*Honorable Mention*: *Tryniti Takash*, “Peace in the Meadows,” Lake Don Pedro Elementary School
*Honorable Mention: **Mekynzie Alves*, “Birthday Celebration in Yosemite,” Greeley Hill Elementary School
*Special Awards:*
*Yosemite Award*
*Emma Blomgren*, “Giant Sequoia ‘Wawona’ Tree 1910’s,” Yosemite High School
*Ansel Adams Award*
*Michelle Keeling*, “Yosemite’s Spring Day,” Yosemite High School
The 9th Annual Gateway Expressions Student Art and Photography Contest has been made possible through the generous support of Yosemite Conservancy and in collaboration with The Ansel Adams Gallery.