Kane County Regional Office of Education Spotlights Student Photographers at Annual Arts Showcase

The Kane County Regional Office of Education (ROE) proudly recognized exceptional student artists and the educators who support them at its annual reception to conclude the countywide Student Photography Contest.

Now in its second decade, the contest is designed to recognize and honor Kane County’s talented student photographers, highlight the creativity and innovation in local schools, and provide a platform for students to express their passion for the arts.

This year’s competition saw record engagement, with over 2,700 photo submissions from 17 high schools across nine weeks. 

All nine public school districts in Kane County participated in the competition, as well as Marmion Academy and Rosary College Prep in Aurora. The themes challenged students to explore different styles and techniques, capturing unique perspectives that reflect both technical skill and artistic vision.     

The reception was held at Interiors for Business, Inc. in Batavia, where all student work was displayed and awards were presented to nine weekly categorical winners. Educators, friends, and family members were also recognized for encouraging artistic development and supporting student participation.

“Students responded to our weekly themes with truly inspirational work, and the ability to have that creativity be the main focus of our annual reception is what makes it special,” said John K. Jonak, Regional Superintendent for Kane County. “We hear from teachers how much students look forward to submitting their photographs and waiting for results each week. That means the world to us. This event would not have been possible without their creative eye, and they should take pride in what they have produced.”

The nine weekly winners that were recognized at the reception include:

● Week 1: Architecture - Von Lautenschlager, Junior, Geneva High School (Geneva School District 304)

● Week 2: Kane County Pride - Lynn Singh, Senior, St. Charles North High School (St. Charles School District 303)

● Week 3: Contrast - Delphine Umuhoza , Senior, West Aurora High School (West Aurora School District 129)

● Week 4: Nostalgia - Jackson Warbritton - Senior, Hampshire High School (School District 300) 

● Week 5: Action & Adventure - Matthew Large, Junior, Marmion Academy

● Week 6: Flora & Fauna - Dominic Amaro , Sophomore, Bartlett High School (School District U-46)

● Week 7: Close Up - Autumn Marroquin, Sophomore, Batavia High School (Batavia Public School District 101)

● Week 8: Haunting- Annabelle Nawrocki, Junior, Rosary College Prep

● Week 9, Emotions: Ruby Weasler - Sophomore, St. Charles North High School (St. Charles School District 303)

The ROE would like to thank all participants in this year’s competition, as well as Interiors for Business, Inc. for being our host and allowing their showroom to be part of the ambience for this event. All photos featured in the competition as well as from Tuesday's reception can be found at kaneroe.org/student-photography-contest.

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About the Kane County Regional Offi ce of Education The Kane County Regional Offi ce of Education (ROE) is one of 38 educational service agencies in Illinois. Located in Geneva, we serve 9,200 educators and 107,000 students across 524 square miles that span nine school districts across Kane County (U-46, Batavia 101, West Aurora 129, East Aurora 131, District 300, Central 301, Kaneland 302, St. Charles 303, and Geneva 304).

Our mission is to advocate for education, provide leadership, perform regulatory functions, and coordinate state and local services for educators, school districts, and the community.

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