Oakmont Freshman's Artwork Makes 'A World of Difference'
By NANCY BAKANOWSKY
Journal Correspondent
Community Journal
March 5, 2004
Lenart honored in Anti-Defamation League contest

 

Throughout the years, Oakmont stu­dents have enjoyed countless successes in a variety of forums - academic, athletic, musical, and artistic - but never before has the school been able to boast its own "cal­endar girl."

While many might raise an eyebrow to learn that freshman Lauren Lenart was recently chosen as Miss December, the selection comes as no surprise to class­mates who voted her "Most Artistic" and "Most Likely to Succeed" while at Over­ look last year.

Lenart received a letter from the Anti­-Defamation League's New England Region shortly after last Thanksgiving, that informed her of the honor. Her entry in their "A World of Difference Institute" cal­endar art contest had been selected as one of the twelve winners and will grace the page for December 2004.

"Mrs. Roy was my guidance enrichment teacher last year and she had each of the [eighth graders] do a picture for the calen­dar," said Lenart. "[She] chose the ten best and submitted them for the contest."

The calendar art contest is just one of many special projects that the "A World of Difference Institute" supports in its efforts to "raise awareness of prejudice and dis­crimination and promote inclusion and respect for individual difference. The con­test is open to allK-12 students throughout New England, and the winning artwork is published in the Institute's annual calendar.

Lenart and her family received copies of the calendar on Christmas morning and proudly added them to Lauren's impressive body of work, which also includes the win­ning yearbook cover design for her elemen­tary school, as well as pieces submitted to the Boston Globe art show.

"Art is my primary focus," said Lenart. "It's something I really enjoy and would like to seriously pursue in the future."

To that end, Lenart has taken private art lessons with middle school art instructor Brian Beaudoin and high school art instruc­tor Greg Barry, and has also attended a number of art clinics to expand upon her already impressive skill set.

"I'd like to take the next step and join an art association through the Fitchburg Art Museum," said Lenart.

Art is not the only subject in which this multi-faceted teenager excels. Lenart also uses her pen to express her creativity through various forms of poetry and prose.

For three years, she has been a participant in the "Kids Write" project, which puts stu­dents through the writing paces, and expos­es them to a variety of exercises to help develop stronger writing skills.

These writing skills have come in handy many times throughout this past year as Lenart has tackled a full-load of honors courses, among them humanities - a com­bination honors social studies and honors English course - honors biology, honors math, and Latin I and U.

Achieving a sense of balance in her life has been a priority for Lenart, who contin­ues to be involved in a number of extra-cur­ricular activities. A longtime Outlaw soccer player, Lenart has also been receiving spe­cialized goalie training; has taken up com­petitive basketball for the first time this year and plays on the Oakmont freshman team, and as the freshman class secretary, she has been actively involved in a host of student activities.

As she continues to fill her "canvas" with colorful and enriching experiences, Lenart's future as an artist is sure to be full of hope and promise.

[This article has been reproduced with the permission of Community Journal editor Kevin J. MacLean]