Ellie Olitsky, a senior at Blue Valley North High School and the daughter of Andrea and Scott Olitsky, earned the 2012 Shooting Stars Scholarship first place award in the photography division ($1,400) given by the Arts Council of Johnson County.
Ellie and the other award recipients and finalists were recognized at the Annual Shooting Stars Gala on Sunday, April 1, at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art and Yardley Hall at Johnson County Community College. This award, and scholarship, is given to a Johnson County high school senior whose photography portfolio is judged to be the best among a group of finalists nominated by their high schools. In addition, one of her photographs was displayed at the Nerman through the month of April.
Ellie also had a photograph exhibited during the 2011 Drexel University High School Photography Contest. Her photograph was one of 140 chosen to be exhibited from more than 1,850 images received from all over the United States.
Ellie designed the sculpture for the Blue Valley North senior garden, created by Leopold gallery, which was installed at the school just last week. Ellie is the vice-president of the National Honors Art Society and will be attending Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore., in the fall.
