Aquinas Academy in Hampton wins arts education award

Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh received the Rob Zellers Award for Excellence in Arts Education from the Pittsburgh Public Theater during its Shakespeare Monologue and Scene Competition’s Showcase of Finalists in February.

Mike Flynn, Aquinas Academy’s theater director and a teacher at the school in Hampton, gave the acceptance speech noting that this competition enables students “to do something transcendent, to do something timeless.”

Two years ago, Pittsburgh Public Theater began an annual tradition to honor Zellers, longtime director of education and creator of the Shakespeare Contest, with the award bearing his name.

“This award blossomed out of the desire to honor the teachers and organizations who so passionately provide quality arts education experiences for their students,” Parag S. Gohel, the theater’s director of education and engagement, said.

To earn the honor, and educator or organization must demonstrates these qualities:

• Commitment — has shown a passionate commitment to arts education and the desire to expand students’ learning through extracurricular opportunities.

• Teamwork — champions the group and creates an equitable environment for students to learn.

• Imagination and joy — exudes a sense of joy that permeates interactions with students while inspiring them with creativity and imaginative guidance.

Thirty Aquinas Academy students in fifth through 12th grades participated in this year’s Shakespeare Competition. Fifth-graders Gabby Boright (Four Fairies), Isabella Marcotullio (Titania) and Evelyn Rich (Bottom) were called back to perform their scene from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in the Showcase of Finalists.

“It was a true pleasure working with the young actresses,” Aimee Engleka, fifth-grade teacher and coach of the girls’ scene, said. “Their enthusiasm for acting allowed them to become fully immersed in the process of learning the context of the scene, rehearsing, then performing, for others’ entertainment. As they worked through the scene and discovered opportunities for humor, the final interpretation became quite comical. One couldn’t help but laugh as they performed with excitement and joy.”

Two additional Aquinas scenes received honorable mention recognition: Sarah Hoerster (Lucetta) and Eve Pellathy (Julia) for “Two Gentlemen of Verona,” and Linus Burchill (Pyramus), Tim Crawford (Thisbe), Sam Ennis (Wall), Andrew Lesnefsky (Lion), Peter Koble (Moonshine) and Michael Richthammer (Prologue) for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

More than 600 area students from over 60 schools competed in the preliminary rounds of the 29th annual Shakespeare Monologue and Scene Contest at Pittsburgh Public Theater. Teams of judges evaluated each participant, and finalists and honorable mentions were awarded from each division. Students in eighth through 12th grades competed in the Upper Division, with fourth- through seventh-graders in the Lower Division.