Bay High School is celebrating an historic achievement as Senior Sophia DiCicco returns from the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) conference in Detroit with some of the highest honors in the country.
Art Teacher Brittani Tkacz encouraged Sophia to enter the prestigious K-12 exhibition, and Sophia’s sculpture was selected from more than 1,000 nationwide entries to be one of only 100 pieces displayed. The NCECA conference is a massive event, drawing more than 7,000 attendees, professional artists and university curators. Her sculpture was ranked among the top five in the nation—an achievement likened to winning an “Oscar” in the ceramic world. As a result, Sophia was scouted by the most renowned ceramics programs in the United States. Both the Kansas City Art Institute and Alfred University offered her significant annual scholarships, she received the Ernst Family Scholarship and was personally awarded a brand-new kiln by the president of L&L Kilns.
The accolades didn't stop in Detroit. During the conference, Sophia received notification that she won a National Gold Medal from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Art Teacher Brittani Tkacz was also recognized with a National Gold Educator award. The duo has been invited to New York City this June for the national ceremony. Congratulations to Sophia DiCicco and to Brittani Tkacz!