Students swept the high school categories at the Strawbridge Art Show reception and awards ceremony, held March 30 and 31, with junior Gage Giunta winning best in show at the 14th annual Strawbridge Young Artists Juried Exhibition over Spring Break.

“I was really surprised I won,” sophomore Rana Karycki said about winning a Merit Award. “I wasn’t expecting it at all, but I’m glad all my hard work payed off. I even bought the program to work on the project at home.”

Other winners included junior Taylor Morgan, who won first place, and Callie Heuser, who won third.

Multiple Merit Awards were also given to juniors Caleb Benedick, Samatha Grant, Hannah Schroeter, and sophomores Mitch Braun and  Karycki. Awards won included hundreds of dollars in prize money.

This year’s theme was “Florida 500 Years,” and students created graphic artwork to show how Florida changed over the years.

“My artwork showed a family walking along a beach with a shuttle going off in the distance and some spanish dubloons off to the side,” Karycki said. “It showed how Florida was, and how it is today.”

The art show was complete with festivities including costumes dancers and musicians to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Ponce de Leon’s landing in Florida.