We are incredibly proud to announce that two exceptionally talented students, Leo Romero and Justin Tacuri, have been accepted into the esteemed New York State Summer School of the Arts (NYSSSA) Visual Arts Program at SUNY Fredonia! This rigorous four-week program, taking place from July 6th to August 2nd, 2025, offers a highly sought-after opportunity for gifted New York State students in grades 8-12 to immerse themselves in the world of 2D and 3D art. Their acceptance into NYSSSA is a significant recognition of their artistic promise and dedication.

Leo's artistic philosophy centers on growth through experimentation, as he explains: "My work consists of seeing mistakes and interpreting them as a learning experience. I know that you miss all the opportunities handed to you that you do not take, so I fully take advantage of that and learn with patience and confidence in all of my creations. For a couple of pieces, I use my knowledge from a book I’ve been studying about anatomy, from a very supportive art teacher. A lot of my pieces are based on the body due to that very book– I love creating expressions and emotions through the movement of the body. Creating my art is like a freedom on its own. And speaking of freedom, I get that love for liberty from studying how free the body can be. And it isn’t only just the human body, but the body of nature and landscapes. I like taking in the scenery of places wherever I walk, I’m a big animal person who likes to learn about them too. These kinds of passions are what fuel my overall pursuit of these advanced studies in visual arts. Getting my passion out of the way, I genuinely want to acknowledge that there is always more to learn. Mistakes are learning experiences that will go to waste if you spend time sulking in it for too long. Instead, I pick up my tool again and keep creating, turning that mistake into something that will make me proud– something that will make me say 'I’m glad I made this'."

Justin's passion for art is equally compelling: "For me, art is how our mind expresses their feelings or emotions in their artwork, where they tend to have a deeper meaning or reason for what it looks like. Throughout my experience in making these art pieces, it took me a lot of time to create them and make them look as appealing and unique as possible by trying to use different types of techniques and art styles for each one of them. I would typically start brainstorming ideas and see other people's artwork online or in person to inspire me and give me ideas on what I can add and improve in my work. Also, when creating these art pieces, sometimes things don't go well, and I accidentally make mistakes. However, these mistakes can lead to unexpected discoveries, which result in surprising and interesting outcomes. I am also interested in pursuing advanced studies in visual arts because I strongly desire to improve my art skills not only from the program itself but also from other people as well that have the same passion as I do. Additionally, I want to learn more advanced concepts in visual art that I have never learned before in school. This can allow me to push my boundaries of traditional art techniques and discover new ways to express my ideas, which can help me during my exhibition next year for school."

To ensure that Leo and Justin can fully embrace this invaluable opportunity at NYSSSA, we are currently fundraising to help offset the program costs. Your generous support will directly contribute to their artistic development and enable them to make the most of this intensive summer experience. [Insert information on how to donate here].