Katie Elkins and Felix Summ, both of Newtown, recently received honors in the Connecticut Regional Scholastic Art Awards. Held at the University of Hartford on January 31, the annual event is a "high quality level, professionally juried event which recognizes only the best CT student art work. All CT art students in public, parochial and private schools are encouraged to participate and submit high quality art work," according to The Connecticut Art Education Association.

Katie won a Gold Key in photography for her portrait photograph, and Felix won a Silver Key in Printmaking for his beach print.

The Connecticut Regional Art Awards, an affiliate of The Alliance For Young Artists & Writers, recognizes the achievements of talented young artists. Roughly 130 public, private and parochial middle and high schools from throughout Connecticut participated in the awards.

During two days of judging, the jurors selected about 665 pieces from the approximately 2,000 which were entered in categories ranging from ceramics and sculpture to painting, drawing, fashion and digital art.

Felix and Katie attend Newtown High School in the morning for their core academic subjects and attend ACES Educational Center for the Arts (ECA) in New Haven in the afternoon, where they are enrolled in the visual arts program. Felix is a senior and Katie is a junior. Felix has plans to study graphic design at art school in September.

ACES-ECA is a half-time inter-district honors magnet high school specializing in visual, performing and literary arts. Students remain with their sending schools in the mornings and join like-minded artists in the afternoon. ACES ECA provides a comprehensive honors level program where students study in one of the the disciplines offered and have continuous performance opportunities throughout the school year.