As the diffused light from the winter sun shown on Kaitlyn Guerriero’s grandmother’s face, the Design and Visual Communications (DVC) senior captured the moment and honored her Nana with a Gold Key winning photograph entitled “Old Age”. “I’m more of a painter, but I entered this photograph because I thought it was the best of my portfolio”, said Kaitlyn, an  East Bridgewater resident and student at Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School. Kaitlyn plans to attend Leslie University in Cambridge to pursue a career working with children.

   Gold Key winner Christina Vivada of Brockton became interested in photography in her sophomore year at Southeastern Regional. She chose school and the DVC concentration because she loves art. A double Gold Key winner for her photographs “Explosions” and “The Island”, she thanks her Design and Visual Communications teachers, Mr. Wade Gomes and Mrs. Shirley Ezerins. “They have helped me by giving me the encouragement and opportunities to enter contests and be as active as I can with my art.” Christina also thanks her mentors in the photography studio at Artists for Humanity in Boston, where she is employed part time. She plans to get a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Photography and Graphic Design, with a career as a portrait photographer.

   An estimated 2500+ submissions were entered by high school students throughout the state of Massachusetts. A panel of judges will select the best of Massachusetts Gold Key winners go forward and represent the state at the national level competition of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Alliance for Young Artrists & Writers, in New York. Judging is currently underway, with national medalist prize winners to be announced March 15, 2013.  

   The public will have the opportunity to view the prize winning art of Christina and Kaitlyn, as well as those of other Gold and Silver Key winners, from Monday, February 11 to Friday, April 19, 2013, at the State Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza in Boston. The exhibit is open Monday through Friday 9:00-5:00 and Sunday Noon to 4:00. (Closed Saturdays and holidays.) Groups planning a visit must call 617-973-7290 to make a reservation. Gold Key and Silver Key winning students, along with invited guests, will participate in the “Awards Day in Boston” ceremony on March 3, 2013.

   Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School is a public 9-12 vocational high school located in South Easton, Massachusetts, serving approximately 1,250 students from the city of Brockton and the towns of East Bridgewater, Easton, Foxborough, Mansfield, Norton, Sharon, Stoughton, and West Bridgewater.