Medina County Awards $10K in Art Scholarships to 6 Teens

Six high school seniors in Medina County are heading to college with something precious: financial support to chase their artistic dreams.

The Medina County Art League awarded nearly $10,000 in scholarships this year to graduating seniors planning to study art in college. Cameron Gorog from Wadsworth High School took home the top Best of Show award, while five other students earned scholarships ranging from first place to honorable mention.

The process honors student talent while keeping evaluation fair. Each applicant submits five pieces of artwork to the Medina County District Library, where staff carefully hide all identifying information. Three former art teachers then judge the portfolios completely blind, seeing only the work itself.

Rebecca Wesig of Wadsworth earned first place, followed by Ashton Lewis of Highland in second and Leah C. Andrews of Medina High in third. Alexis Mutch of Highland and Natalia Vujas of Wadsworth received honorable mentions. Andrews also won the Library Choice Award.

The winning portfolios are now on display at the library through April 4, giving the community a chance to see the next generation of artists at work.

The Ripple Effect

The scholarship program shows how community support creates lasting change. Funding comes from the annual Art in the Park festival, where both exhibiting artists and attendees contribute through an art raffle. Local businesses and individuals add their support too, turning a love of art into real opportunities for young people.

Janet Baran administers the program for the Art League, coordinating with high school art teachers to identify promising students. The requirement is simple: seniors must have college acceptance letters and plans to major or minor in an art-related field.

For students facing college costs, these scholarships mean more than money. They represent a community saying your talent matters and your future is worth investing in. The Art League has been running this program for years, quietly helping talented young artists access education that might otherwise feel out of reach.

The next Art in the Park festival will help fund scholarships for the following year, continuing the cycle of creativity and support.