Congratulations to the 2023 High School VAC Award Winners!
Best of Show
Captured Youth
by Joseph Pak, College Prep, 11th Grade, Artwork created independently
2D Awards
1st Place – Bystander Behavior
by Ellia Chaney, Las Lomas, 12th Grade, Teacher: Jessica Jurgens
2nd Place – A Luxury Death
by Andrea Liu, Bentley, 12th Grade, Teacher: Kelsey Jones
3rd Place – Michelle
by Rachel Chan, Las Lomas, 12th Grade, Teacher: Jessica Jurgens
Honorable Mention – Crystallization
by Benjamin Wang, Head-Royce, 11th Grade, Artwork created independently
3D Awards
1st Place – Problem Solving
by Aaron Jiang, Bentley, 12th Grade, Artwork created independently
2nd Place – The Khalkotauroi of Colchis
by Walter Yip, Bentley, 12th Grade, Teacher: Michelle Cho
3rd Place – Hush
by Alexandrina Gutu, Miramonte, 12th Grade, Teacher: Gavin Kermode
Honorable Mention – On The Edge
by Phoebe Sulis, Bentley, 11th Grade, Teacher: Michelle Cho
Photography Awards
1st Place – Farmer's Tool
by Chase Hammond, Bentley, 10th Grade, Teacher: Aram Muksian
2nd Place – Midnight Scare
by Sasha Jayne, Bentley, 12th Grade, Artwork created independently
3rd Place – Big World, Little People
by Katelyn Metherd, Miramonte, 9th Grade, Teacher: Stacey Churchill
Honorable Mention – Halo
by Sonya Barnett, Bentley, 10th Grade, Teacher: Aram Muksian
Digital Art Awards
1st Place – Dystorpian
by Jason Gutstadt, Bentley, 12th Grade, Teacher: Aram Muksian
2nd Place – Handy Dandy
by Natalie Hsu, Bentley, 10th Grade, Teacher: Aram Muksian
3rd Place – Reality
by Anisa Huthman, Las Lomas, 10th Grade, Teacher: Anne Scallon
Honorable Mention – Things of Nature
by Lily Kalmar, Miramonte, 10th Grade, Artwork created independently
Congratulations to the Past Winners of VAC
2022 Winners
Best of Show
Controlling the Youth
Controlling the Youth
by Kate Lee, Bentley, 12th Grade, Teacher: Kelsey Jones, 2D category
2D Awards
1st Place - Pieces of Identity
by Natalie Mangani, Las Lomas, 10th Grade, Teacher: Jessica Jurgens
2nd Place - Distance
by Kallie Cheung, Las Lomas, 12th Grade, Teacher: Jessica Jurgens
3rd Place – I’m So Blue All the Time
by Ava von Behren, Bentley, 12th Grade, Teacher: Kelsey Jones
Honorable Mentions
Untitled by Andrea Liu, Bentley, 11th Grade, Teacher: Kelsey Jones
Gateshead by Kaitlyn Yasumura, Carondelet, 10th Grade, Teacher: Darla Sur
Daucus by Claudia Cruse, Campolindo, 12th Grade, Teacher: Heidi Cabra
3D Awards
1st Place - Get Yourself Together
by Emma Ngo, Campolindo, 11th Grade, Artwork Created Independently
2nd Place - Owlberry
by Indie Lee, Miramonte, 10th Grade, Artwork Created Independently
3rd Place - Summoning
by Holden Bennett, Bentley, 9th Grade, Teacher: Aram Muksian
Honorable Mentions
Societal Confinement by Emile Starkweather, Bentley, 12th Grade, Teacher: Michelle Cho
Body Image to the Core by Kate Lee, Bentley, 12th Grade, Teacher: Kelsey Jones
Untitled (Hammer) by Walter Yip, Bentley, 11th Grade, Teacher: Aram Muksian
Photography Awards
1st Place - Ambiguity
by Emma Ngo, Campolindo, 11th Grade, Teacher: Collette Sweeney
2nd Place - Ataraxia
by Avery Sims, Bentley, 11th Grade, Teacher: Aram Muksian
3rd Place - Self-Portrait of a Pianist
by Sydney Zhang, Campolindo, 11th Grade, Teacher: Collette Sweeney
Honorable Mentions
Driving in the Rain by Leonardo Siu, Bentley, 11th Grade, Artwork Created Independently
Untitled by Leyla Nabipour, Campolindo, 11th Grade, Teacher: Collette Sweeney
Lamorinda Arts Alliance Digital Art Awards
1st Place - Different Perspective
by Jeanette Lavoie, Campolindo, 12th Grade, Artwork Created Independently
2nd Place - Explosion of Color
by Irene Yoon, College Prep, 11th Grade, Teacher: Yousun Kim
3rd Place - Chronic
by Charles Platt, Miramonte, 11th Grade, Teacher: Stacey Churchill
Honorable Mentions
Bending Dimensions by Benjamin Randall, Bentley, 12th Grade, Teacher: Aram Muksian
Purple by Vivian Tolajian, Campolindo, 9th Grade, Teacher: Collette Sweeney
2021 Winners
Best of Show
Bad Day
by Andrew Parker, Campolindo, 11th Grade, Artwork Created Independently
2D Awards
1st Place - Division
by Kate Lee, Bentley, 11th Grade, Artwork Created Independently
2nd Place - Fleeting
by Benjamin Wang, Head-Royce, 9th Grade, Teacher: Ann Murphy
3rd Place - Pieces of My Identity
by Rachel Chan, Las Lomas, 10th Grade, Teacher: Jessica Jurgens
Honorable Mentions
Japanese War
by Matthew Koo, Acalanes, 11th Grade, Teacher: Robert Porter
Untitled
by Andrea Liu, Bentley, 10th Grade, Artwork Created Independently
Let Me Fly
by Laura Ni, Head-Royce, 11th Grade, Teacher: Ann Murphy
3D Awards
1st Place - ALIVE
by Leena Hobson, Bentley, 12th Grade, Teacher: Michelle Cho
2nd Place - To Purity
by Alyssa Diggdon, Campolindo, 11th Grade, Artwork Created Independently
3rd Place - Frog Eating Bug
by Ruby Grandy, Bentley, 9th Grade, Teacher: Kelsey Jones
Honorable Mentions
Untitled
by Alexandrina Gutu, Miramonte, 10th Grade, Teacher: Gavin Kermode
Hidden In Plain Sight
by Valentina Varela, Bentley, 9th Grade, Teacher: Michelle Cho
Man
by Hannes Hundt, Bentley, 10th Grade, Teacher: Michelle Cho
Photography Awards
1st Place - One-Sided Love
by Lillia Hammond, Bentley, 12th Grade, Teacher: Aram Muksian
2nd Place - Forced Out
by Alyla Meir, Bentley, 10th Grade, Teacher: Aram Muksian
3rd Place - Winter Warbler
by Jake Campo, Campolindo, 11th Grade, Teacher: Collette Sweeney
Honorable Mentions
Tea Party
by Robert Wang, Campolindo, 12th Grade, Teacher: Collette Sweeney
Immigrant's Sacrifice
by Jarret Zundel, Miramonte, 9th Grade, Teacher: Stacey Churchill
Vision
by Julia Brandt, Bentley, 12th Grade, Teacher: Aram Muksian
Lamorinda Arts Alliance Digital Art Awards
1st Place - Virtual Jail House
by Yesenia Del Cid, Bentley, 9th Grade, Artwork Created Independently
2nd Place - Eye of the Beholder
by Jayden Thai, Miramonte, 11th Grade, Teacher: Stacey Churchill
3rd Place - Expectations
by Meher Kaur, Bentley, 10th Grade, Artwork Created Independently
Honorable Mentions
Don't Be So Blue
by Jade Peng, Miramonte, 10th Grade, Artwork Created Independently
Ghosts Are Wheel
by Walter Yip, Bentley, 10th Grade, Teacher: Aram Muksian
Nightlights
by Alysse Brown, Bentley, 10th Grade, Artwork Created Independently
To view the 2021 Awards Brochure, click here.
2020 Winners
Best of Show
Bird Show Case
by Kate Lee, Bentley, 10th Grade
2D Awards
1st Place - Me
by Matthew Koo, Acalanes, 10th Grade
2nd Place - Girl with Braids
by Michelle Goll, Acalanes, 10th Grade
3rd Place - Mother
by Jenny Shen, Miramonte, 12th Grade
Honorable Mentions
Jacob
by Emma Yamamoto, Las Lomas, 10th Grade
Eye for Eye
by Bella Draper, Acalanes, 11th Grade
Family Portrait
by Brightan Ying, Campolindo, 12th Grade
3D Awards
1st Place - Face Pot
by Isabella Salinas, Acalanes, 12th Grade
2nd Place - Elephant
by Carter Hiett, Campolindo, 12th Grade
3rd Place - Sally
by Jenny Shen, Miramonte, 12th Grade
Honorable Mentions
Yearning
by Anika Shandalov, Miramonte, 12th Grade
Octavius
by Sarah Stenovec, Miramonte, 12th Grade
Above
by Emilia Gutman, Acalanes, 11th Grade
Photography Awards
1st Place - Our Generation
by Juliet Jones, Campolindo, 10th Grade
2nd Place - Self Awareness
by Luke Rodriguez, Campolindo, 12th Grade
3rd Place - Untitled
by Luke Manalang, Orinda Academy, 9th Grade
Honorable Mentions
Browning Montana
by Ella McNeil, Bentley, 12th Grade
Grandma's Basement, 2019
by Isabella Premo, Bentley, 12th Grade
Ant with a Behind
by Arine Kim, Campolindo, 12th Grade
Lamorinda Arts Alliance Digital Art Awards -
new category in 2020!
1st Place - There is Reality to Every Dream
by Ella Braff, Bentley, 11th Grade
2nd Place - Astraea
by Kayla Barker, Campolindo, 10th Grade
3rd Place - Honoring Prikle Jones
by Leilah Hodges, Miramonte, 11th Grade
Honorable Mentions
Power Armor
by Adilson Amado, Miramonte, 12th Grade
The 60s
by Jake Campo, Campolindo, 10th Grade
Nature's Soul
by Fox Fleischman, Acalanes, 11th Grade
To view the 2020 Awards Brochure, click here.
2019 Winners
Best of Show
The Book Jacket by Larkin Stephanos, Campolindo, 9th Grade
2D Awards
1st Place - Avian Anomaly by Hannah Anderson, Head-Royce, 11th Grade
2nd Place - Zebra on Cardboard by Shae Silva, Campolindo, 12th Grade
3rd Place - Heirloom by Chloe Kim, Head-Royce, 11th Grade
Honorable Mentions
Mindless Thought by Brightan Yingm, Campolindo, 11th Grade
Feet by Audrey Call, Campolindo, 12th Grade
Delphina by Jennifer Atkins, Miramonte, 12th Grade
The Dad Tree by Veronica Huish, Miramonte, 12th Grade
3D Awards
1st Place - Femme en Mouvement by Sarah Stenovec, Miramonte, 11th Grade
2nd Place - Alex by Jessica Shen, Miramonte, 12th Grade
3rd Place - Pool Reflection by Jivana Nagpal, Bentley, 10th Grade
Honorable Mentions
Splash by Taylor Johnson, Miramonte, 12th Grade
Spore-ky Pig by Tawny Fischer, Campolindo, 10th Grade
Untitled by Garrett Louie, Miramonte, 12th Grade
My Blue Pot by Emily Sverak, Acalanes, 12th Grade
Photography & Digital Design Awards
1st Place - Atmosphere by Andrew Parker, Campolindo, 9th Grade
2nd Place - Hands by Jake Turnbull, Bentley, 12th Grade
3rd Place - Erosion by Lillia Hammond, Bentley, 10th Grade
Honorable Mentions
Bridal Veil Falls Creek by Gary Fleischmann, Acalanes, 11th Grade
Deer in the Spotlight by Taylor Floyd, Campolindo, 11th Grade
Cowboy Hat by Ignacio Piqueras, Acalanes, 12th Grade
Alternate Reality by Kailani Thompson, Miramonte, 11th Grade
To view the 2019 Awards Brochure, click here.
2018 Winners
Best of Show
Ticonderoga by Jenny Shen, Miramonte, 10th Grade
2D Awards
1st Place - The Difference Between Me & My Mother by Zoe Del Rosario, Campolindo, 12th Grade
2nd Place - Looking Down by Caroline Stenzel, Miramonte, 12th Grade
3rd Place - Untitled by Aidan McBride, Miramonte, 12th Grade
Honorable Mentions
Untitled by Juliette Benazra, Acalanes, 11th Grade
Travels to Hidden Places by Andrew Price, Campolindo, 11th Grade
Untitled by Julianne Galanti, Las Lomas, 12th Grade
Hell's Angel by Eldon Brown, Acalanes, 12th Grade
3D Awards
1st Place - Untitled by Brianna Fick, Miramonte, 12th Grade
2nd Place - Eve's Choice by Georgia Carpenter, Acalanes, 10th Grade
3rd Place - Burning Mand by April Linblad, Campolindo, 12th Grade
Honorable Mentions
California Fires by Abby Lapporte, Acalanes, 11th Grade
Untitled by Aidan McBride, Miramonte, 12th Grade
Still Working by Autumn Van Buren, Miramonte, 10th Grade
Untitled by Sofia Dreessen, Miramonte, 10th Grade
Photography & Digital Design Awards
1st Place - Game Day by Tate Pieper, Bentley, 12th Grade
2nd Place - A Gloomy Day by Lauren Hlavac, Campolindo, 11th Grade
3rd Place - Bounded by Kuvin Hayer, Campolindo, 12th Grade
Honorable Mentions
Alaysia by Randall Gee, Campolindo, 11th Grade
The Mesh by Griffin Lymburn, Bentley, 12th Grade
Untitled by John Reyna, Campolindo, 12th Grade
Untitled by Emili Tiedmann, Campolindo, 11th Grade
To view the 2018 Awards Brochure, click here.
2017 Winners
Best In Show
Untitled by Abby Lapporte, Acalanes, 10th Grade
2D Awards
1st Place - Cara by Anastasia Leones, Acalanes, 11th Grade
2nd Place - Fractured Hawaiian Sea Turtle by Nicole Edwards, Acalanes, 10th Grade
3rd Place - Untitled by Jadey Sadoff, Acalanes, 12th Grade
Honorable Mention - girl. by Elle Hoarau, Acalanes, 11th Grade
Honorable Mention - Homeless by Ana Bernardo, Campolindo, 12th Grade
Honorable Mention - Cupcakes by Grace Schmidt, Campolindo, 11th Grade
Honorable Mention - Will to Power by Aidan McBride, Miramonte, 11th Grade
3D Awards
1st Place - Fish by Aidan McBride, Miramonte, 11th Grade
2nd Place - Full Metal Alchemist, Nathan Shin, Las Lomas, 11th Grade
3rd Place - Humans by Zoë Venable, Miramonte, 11th Grade
Honorable Mention - Light as a Feather by April Lindblad, Campolindo, 9th Grade
Honorable Mention - A Cardboard Fist by Justin Li, Las Lomas, 9th Grade
Honorable Mention - Coil Vessel by Charlotte Ensley, Acalanes, 12th Grade
Honorable Mention - Midnight by Dana Chan, Miramonte, 12th Grade
Photography Awards
1st Place - Untitled by Maya Jenn, Campolindo, 11th Grade
2nd Place - Untitled by Isabel Owens, Campolindo, 12th Grade
3rd Place - Solitary by Isobel Whitehead, Acalanes, 11th Grade
Honorable Mention - Untitled by Emilie Naughten, Campolindo, 12th Grade
Honorable Mention - Untitled by Vincent Ho, Campolindo, 12th Grade
Honorable Mention - Poking the Bubble by Henry Braff, Bentley Upper School, 11th Grade
Honorable Mention - Dancing Through Life by Nell Kessenich, Acalanes, 10th Grade
2016 Winners
Best of Show
Nesting Dolls, Nora Guergah, Miramonte High School, 12th Grade
2D AWARDS
1st Place, Untitled, Sophia Lindgren, Acalanes High School, 9th Grade
2nd Place, Untitled, Madeleine Taylor, Campolindo High School, 12th Grade
3rd Place, Elegant, Siena Kuan, Acalanes High School, 12th Grade
Honorable Mention, Untitled, Jadey Sadoff, Acalanes High School, 11th Grade
Honorable Mention, Untitled, Adia Tajima, Campolindo High School, 12th Grade
3D AWARDS
1st Place, Nesting Dolls, Nora Guergah, Miramonte High School, 12th Grade
2nd Place, Lost Love, Zoe Venable, Miramonte High School, 10th Grade
3rd Place, Out to Lunch, Samuel Turoff-Ortmeyer, Bentley Upper School, 12th Grade
Honorable Mention, Octopi in Boxes, Siena Kuan, Acalanes High School, 12th Grade
Photography
1st Place, Untitled, Jaime Brown, Campolindo High School, 11th Grade
2nd Place, A Change in World, Gabrielle Thompson, Campolindo High School, 12th Grade
3rd Place, The Chair, Allyson Ikeya, Campolindo High School, 12th Grade
Honorable Mention, Green Tree Phython, Neelu Namboodiri, Bentley Upper School, 10th Grade
Honorable Mention, Untitled, Alicia Long, Campolindo High School, 11th Grade
2015 Winners
BEST OF SHOW
DD09 Chinatown Bicycle, Zack Watson, Campolindo, 12th Grade
2D AWARDS
1st Place 2D47 untitled, Jadey Sadoff, Acalanes, 10th Grade
2nd Place 2D26 Colorful Melancholy, Bella Gutman, Miramonte 12th Grade
3rd Place 2D66 Lost, Bojana Rankovic, Las Lomas, 12th Grade
Honorable Mention 2D12 Untitled, Izzy Tankka, Acalanes, 11th Grade
Honorable Mention 2D19 Untitled, Madeleine Taylor, Campolindo, 11th Grade
Honorable Mention 2D69 Untitled, Laura Ramirez, Las Lomas, 12th Grade
Honorable Mention 2D71 How To Grow Up!, Klifford Ganancial, Las Lomas, 12th Grade
3D AWARDS
1st Place 3D52 The Lichen Ladies, Nora Guergah, Miramonte, 11th Grade
2nd Place 3D26 Untitled, Brigid Berndt, Miramonte, 10th Grade
3rd Place 3D20 Kirin, Ara Walls, Campolindo, 10th Grade
Honorable Mention 3D04 Adam Smith’s Invisible Hand, Will Gittings, Miramonte, 12th Grade
Honorable Mention 3D06 Untitled, Kathryn McCarty, Acalanes, 12th Grade
Honorable Mention 3D18 Pencil Box, Grace Schmidt, Campolindo, 9th Grade
Honorable Mention 3D29 Labyrinth, Lydia Lapporte, Acalanes, 12th Grade
PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS
1st Place P48 Untitled, Taylor Odom, Holden High School, 12th Grade
2nd Place P50 Smoke Bomb, Bojana Rankovic, Las Lomas, 12th Grade
3rd Place – Tie P20 Gabrielle, Alannah Buyce, Campolindo, 12th Grade
3rd Place – Tie P44 Love Has No Gender, Kristen Kawaguchi, Miramonte, 12th Grade
Honorable Mention P05 Smile, Julia Bowers, Miramonte, 10th Grade
Honorable Mention P17 Untitled, Ana Glosson, Campolindo, 11th Grade
Honorable Mention P41 Duet, Kai Mills, Acalanes, 10th Grade
DIGITAL DESIGN AWARDS
1st Place DD02 The Fire Burning In All of Us, Zachary Sandberg, Bentley, 11th Grade
2nd Place DD01 Leap Posters, Sophia Spitulnik, Miramonte, 12th Grade
3rd Place DD06 On Cloud Nine, Michelle Pang, Campolindo, 12th Grade
Honorable Mention DD11 Natsu, Klifford Ganancial, Las Lomas, 12th Grade
Honorable Mention DD12 1914/2014, Bojana Rankovic, Las Lomas, 12th Grade
Note: 2D, 3D, P, DD + number is student’s artwork entry number.
2014 Winners
Best in Show Viewers’ Choice Award
“Untitled” Emily LaRoche 11th Grade, Bentley Upper School
2D AWARDS
1st Place – “Meat Shop” Courtney Daum 12th Grade, Campolindo High School
2nd Place – “Cinco De Mayo” Jane Fessenden 12th Grade, Miramonte High School
3rd Place – “Untitled” Arianna Ninh 11th Grade, Acalanes High School
Honorable Mention – “Untitled” Haley Marx 12th Grade, Miramonte High School
Honorable Mention – “False African Violet” Margot Mai 12th Grade, Miramonte High School
Honorable Mention – “thoughts” Lauren Fitterer 12th Grade, Las Lomas High School
3D WINNERS
1st Place – “Brown Boots” Katrina Salinas 12th Grade, Acalanes High School
Tie 2nd Place – “Untitled” Gavin Rock 11th Grade, Campolindo High School
Tie 2nd Place – “Horse and Rider Jumping in Phases” Devyn Hinkle, 12th Grade Bentley Upper School
3rd Place – “Memento moire” Daniell McCann 12th Grade, Acalanes High School
Honorable Mentions – “Slinky Dog” Mariah Brown 9th Grade, Campolindo High School
Honorable Mentions – “Nature’s Music” Will Gittings 11th Grade, Miramonte High School
Honorable Mentions – “The Key to the Future” Misaki Kobayashi 10th Grade, Miramonte High School
PHOTOGRAPHY WINNERS
1st Place – “Self Portrait” Saarah Slechta 12th Grade, Campolindo High School
2nd Place – “Surface Markings” Anna Fenske 12th Grade, Campolindo High School
3rd Place – “Melancholic Dreams” Shahong Lee 11th Grade, Bentley Upper School
Honorable Mentions – “Cogita” Jonathan Rowland 12th Grade, Campolindo High School
Honorable Mentions – “Yellow jacket” Santi Cabrera 10th Grade, Campolindo High School
Honorable Mentions – “Freedom In Her Eyes” Hanna Schoenberger 12th Grade, Campolindo High School
Honorable Mentions – “Pensive” Hannah Buck 11th Grade, Campolindo High School
Honorable Mention, Digital Designs
“The Water Cycle” Sophia Spitulnik 11th Grade, Miramonte High School
To download 2014 Artists & Awards Program, click here.
2013 Winners
Best in Show Viewer’s Choice Award
After tabulating 224 text votes and weighing in judges’ vote, the Best of Show goes to…
‘Giraffe’, Amy Hollishwandner, 12th Grade, Acalanes
2D Winners
1st Place – ‘Girl on Fire’, Olivia Barnum, 12th Grade, Bentley
2nd Place – ‘Violin with Candles and Sunflowers’, Caitlyn Sit, 12th Grade, Campolindo
3rd Place – ‘Boots, Boots, Boots’, Colette Walker, 12th Grade, Campolindo
2D Honorable Mentions
‘Intriguing’, Bryce Bixler, 10th Grade, Acalanes
‘Untitled’, Sita Lujintanon, 10th Grade, Bentley
‘The Morrighan’, Izzy Parkinson-Morgan, 11th Grade, Acalanes
‘Giraffe’, Amy Hollishwandner, 12th Grade, Acalanes
3D Winners
‘Evolution of Music’, Lauren Gray, 10th Grade, Bentley1st Place – ‘Tangled’, Cari Carter, 11th Grade, Miramonte
2nd Place – ‘Sharkring’, Albert Maio, 12th Grade, Miramonte
3rd Place – ‘Nidhi’, Katrina Salinas, 11th Grade, Acalanes
3D Honorable Mentions
‘Voyage’, Marie-Claire Schillinger, 10th Grade, Miramonte
‘Octelephant’, Maddie Wheeler, 10th Grade, Acalanes
Photography Winners
1st Place – ‘Senseless Emotion’, Gavin Thatcher, 10th Grade, Acalanes
2nd Place – ‘Untitled’, Lindsay Wong, 11th Grade, Campolindo
3rd Place (tie) – ‘Taxi Cab in New York City’, Hanna Schoenberger, 11th Grade, Campolindo
3rd Place (tie) – ‘The Landlord’, Sachi Granich, 10th Grade, Bentley
Photography Honorable Mentions
‘stuck in a daze’, Emily LaRoche, 10th grade, Bentley
‘Self-Portrait’, Magda Herrera , 12th Grade, Bentley
‘Self-Portrait’, Minghan Zhong, 11th Grade, Bentley
To download 2013 Artists & Awards Program, click here.
To download 2012 Artists & Awards Program, click here.
To download 2011 Artists & Awards Program, click here




















