Charles Finney School Student Receives National Award
Recognized for Outstanding Achievement in Art

May 2008 - Michele DiFonzo, a twelfth grader at The Charles Finney School in Penfield, is among a select group of students, from across the nation, who will receive the 2008 Scholastic Art & Writing Award for outstanding achievement. DiFonzo and others will be officially honored by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers at an awards ceremony that takes place in New York City, June 4th through June 6th. This year, 1,000 young artists and writers earned national recognition, placing them among the top 1% of all participants. Participants’ works were submitted by their individual art teachers, who are limited in their submissions. DiFonzo will receive the Silver Key Award for her photography portfolio. She is the daughter of Margaret and Nicholas DiFonzo of W. Henrietta.

DiFonzo was notified that she had been selected to receive the honor by Finney School Art Teacher, Greg Hollar.

“This wasn’t something that I expected,” said DiFonzo. “When Mr. Hollar told me about the award, I was very excited. It made me feel very special.”

DiFonzo became interested in photography as a junior at Finney where it quickly became a hobby that she continues to enjoy. Her plan is to attend R.I.T. in the fall, where she will major in Graphic Design.

Joining DiFonzo at the awards ceremony in New York will be her parents, as well as several of her friends. During the celebration, the Alliance will also provide an opportunity for awardees and other artists and writers to receive advice and encouragement from a variety of professionals. The organization’s mission is to track the creative development of more than a quarter of a million teenagers across the country. Program goals include engaging a broad cross section of American teenagers to identify creative potential and to showcase a high level of achievement. Additionally, they develop programs that enrich the creative journey for young artists and writers and serve as a source of information for organizations and individuals who wish to support the creative development of our nation’s teenagers.