Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/247585
Sarasota News Leader January 24, 2014 Page 109 EVENING OF EXCELLENCE PROGRAM ANNOUNCES ITS 2014 TOP 25 Twenty-two students from seven Sarasota County high schools captured top honors before a standing-room-only crowd Wednesday night, Jan. 15, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County has announced. The Foundation is marking the 19th year of its annual Juried Art Show competition. Three students placed two pieces in the Top 25: North Port's Hayley Denham and Olga Gasanova; and Sarasota High's Yalicia Miller, a news release says. Susan Scott and Cheryl Gordon, the Education Foundation's executive director and board chairman, respectively, welcomed the audience of more than 200 to the reception, the release adds. Steve Cantees, executive director of Sarasota County High Schools, congratulated the participants and thanked their art teachers for dedicating many extra hours to help students with their submissions. Ashlee Baker, a senior at Sarasota High, won Best of Show for her sculpture, Dark Rain. Six other Best of School winners were Azul Diaz, Pine View; Yuwen Liu, Venice High; Sabino Lops, Riverview High; Rachel Ross, Booker High; Alina Timshina, North Port High; and Ringling College's admissions director, James Ginger Whitely, Suncoast Polytechnical High. Dean, presented the Heart of Art Awards Winners of the Evening of Excellence student awards, with the event co-chairs, are (front row, from left) Rachel Ross, Alina Timshina, Azul Diaz, Sabino Lops, Clarissa Choi, Paige Miller, Brittany Probus, Courtney Kern, Ashlee Baker; (middle row, from left) Kris Numbers, Olga Gasanova, Wade Turner, Jayda Blake, Christina Gunter, Ginger Whitely, Hayley Denham; (back row, from left) Yalicia Miller, André Johnson, Co-Chairwoman Alix Morin, Susan Scott (executive director of the Education Foundation), Co-Chairman Taylor Collins, Devin Brown and Yuwen Liu. Winning students not pictured are Trequan Moreland and Allison Jones. Contributed photo