New Rochelle High School Students Inducted Into Art Honor Society

New Rochelle High School students who express themselves through art were honored Thursday by being inducted into the New Rochelle High School National Art Honor Society.

Parents, faculty and other students gathered in the school's Linda Kelly Theater to witness the ceremony along with the 31 inductees.

For the new members, becoming part of the art honor society must have felt like icing on the cake for doing something they enjoy.

Nicole Antin and Caroline Stoerger, seniors and co-president’s of the club, told the crowd how every Tuesday and Thursday they had something to look forward to after school. 

“We wait for the 3:01 bell to shed the stresses of school, to relax and express ourselves,” Antin said.

Alexi Brock, the faculty advisor of the art honor society, said the society was about art, scholarship, character and service, the last of which was the focus of the ceremony.

“This group has exceeded the mandatory amount of community service by more than 100 hours, making it one of the most enthusiastic groups we have ever had,” she said.

Dr. Diane Massimo, one of the school district's assistant superintendents, said the art honor society was a profound example of altruism and elegance.

“Today we are witnessing an outgrowth of the school system’s high quality, highly successful art program,” she said.

Antin and Stoerger spoke during the ceremony about the honor society’s big project of the year, titled “Process/Reprocess.” The goal was to create art using recycled goods like plastic bottles and bubble wrap to increase environmental awareness and encourage recycling.

The project manifested itself as a large mural featuring high school alumnus and Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, in which he is throwing a plastic bottle into a recycling bin with the high school in the background.

Principal Donald Conetta encouraged the young artists to trust their instincts as they continue to create. 

“Your generation of young artists will make the difference in raising awareness to save this planet,” he said.

Karen Selman of New Rochelle, mother of inductee Selina Selman, 15, explained that her daughter had been artistic from a young age.

“She could draw smiley faces at age 2 so we always had her taking art lessons and things like that,” she said.

The 2013 New Rochelle High School National Art Honor Society inductees:

• Talia Alexis
• Bradley Alvarez
• Tujae Anglin
• Lance Arevalo
• Davina Bisaria
• Yael Brown
• Fernando Cacsire
• Julie Delgado
• Luis Diaz
• Jasmine Euyoque
• Audreanne Foster
• Maria Guzman
• Silvia Guzman
• Sarah Haq
• Sarah Herlands
• Khadija Horton
• Kayla James
• Kristen Kaufman
• Jacky Lemus
• Josh Levine
• Manuel Lopez
• Kenneth McDonnell
• Nancy Mejia
• Deanna Molucci
• Mariela Oliveros
• Nikol Palomino
• Ana Maria Prieto
• Maria Camila Prieto
• David Rodriguez
• Rancelis Saavreda
• Selin Selman