Award-winning art & essays

Four sophomores from Seneca Valley Intermediate High School were recently recognized for their award-winning pieces at the 2025 Waldman Arts & Writing Competition, hosted by the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh.

This year’s theme “Local Legacies: Holocaust Survivors of the Pittsburgh Region” provided students the opportunity to commemorate, honor and connect with survivors who settled in our own communities after surviving unspeakable hardship. Students showed their learning through poetry, writing an essay or producing 2-D or 3-D art. The top projects in each category were chosen as entries to represent Seneca Valley at the Waldman Arts & Writing Competition.

Aubri Holland won the high school poetry category for her entry, Music is life, a poem that tells the story of Moshe Taube, a Holocaust survivor whose voice and love for music carried him through immense childhood hardship. Miss Holland was also named the grand prize winner of the overall competition.

Hailey McPhilomy won the high school 3-D art category for her entry, David, the teddy bear. Her entry honors Shulamit Bastacky, a Holocaust survivor who created the Teddy Bear Project to comfort children, with its design symbolizing hope, resilience and her Jewish heritage.

Miss Holland and Miss McPhilomy were awarded monetary prizes and educational books.

Additionally, Isabella Coyne and Chase Lapaglia were named school winners. Miss Coyne won in the 2-D art category and Mr. Lapaglia won in the essay category.

The Waldman Arts & Writing awards ceremony took place on May 14, at Chatham University. This annual event allows students in grades 6-12 to compete for financial scholarships and winners are honored with prizes and certificates.