INDIANAPOLIS — Several local students have been recognized at an international competition.

The International Violin Competition of Indianapolis (IVCI) recently announced the 30 Streeter Hadley Matthews Grand Award Winners and 120 Regional Winners of the inaugural 2026 Juried Exhibition of Student Art (JESA).

Thanks to the generosity of the Ohio-based Cynthia P. Matthews Family Foundation, the IVCI expanded the program to Ohio for the first time, building on its program in Indiana which began in 1986. This year’s program was opened to students throughout Ohio in grades one through 12 in celebration of the 12th Quadrennial International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, which will take place Sept. 17 through Oct. 4 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The purpose of the program is to: affirm the highest standards of visual arts; encourage the pursuit of visual arts as a career; help integrate the disciplines of the performing and the visual arts; increase community support for the arts; and heighten awareness of the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis and its cultural importance to the entire country.

For the 2026 JESA Competition, there were over 8,000 students registered to participate in the preliminary rounds from 121 schools in 52 counties across Ohio. A panel of Regional Judges adjudicated the submitted works and determined the top 150 Regional Winners.

JURIED EXHIBITION OF STUDENT ART

REGIONAL WINNERS

EXHIBITION LEVEL I (Grades 1 and 2)

— Sadie Bahr, Grade 1, St. Paul-Salem, Salem

Title: The Best Violin; crayons; Darby Hall, art teache

— Asa Rickard, Grade 2, St. Paul-Salem, Salem

Title: U.S.A.; marker; Darby Hall, art teacher

EXHIBITION LEVEL II (Grades 3 and 4)

— Aryann Belleggia, Grade 4, St. Paul-Salem, Salem

Title: Sunset Violin; mixed media; Darby Hall, art teacher

— Kai Compere, Grade 3, St. Paul-Salem, Salem

Title: Ocean Surfer; mixed media; Darby Hall, art teacher

— Lacey Lindesmith, Grade 4, St. Paul-Salem, Salem

Title: The Graceful Violinist; chalk pastel; Darby Hall, art teacher

— Emma Rodriguez, Grade 4, St. Paul-Salem, Salem

Title: Musical Rainbow; colored pencil; Darby Hall, art teacher

— Hazel Wolken, Grade 3, St. Paul-Salem, Salem

Title: Vines And Violin; chalk pastel; Darby Hall, art teacher

EXHIBITION LEVEL III (Grades 5 and 6)

— Harmony Gahagan, Grade 5, Westgate Middle School, East Liverpool

Title: The Eternal Violinist; canvas/pencil/acrylic paint; Ryan Smith, art teacher