Capital Region High School Teams Tie in UAlbany's Chairs That Tell a Story Challenge

Rensselaer, Schalmont, Greenwich, and Heatly Schools Claim Top Honors

Tied for first place were, from left, Schalmont High School's entry, The Hobbit, and Rensselaer High School's creation, Of Mice and Men. (Photo by Mark Schmidt)

ALBANY, N.Y. (June 4, 2012) – Four area high schools were recognized in UAlbany’s Chairs That Tell a Story, an initiative challenging students to artistically depict a literary classic on an original 1960’s University library oak chair. Rensselaer High School’s Of Mice and Men and Schalmont High School’s The Hobbit, each tied for first place. Greenwich High School’s and Heatly School’s renditions of 1984 and To Kill a Mockingbird respectively, resulted in a second place tie. “The Chairs That Tell a Story Program was designed to underscore the significance of the arts and literature in educating students to read, think critically, and create,” said UAlbany Dean and Director of Libraries Mary F. Casserly.

From left, Heatly School's rendition of To Kill a Mockingbird, and Greenwich High School's entry 1984, tied for second place. (Photo by Mark Schmidt)

Twenty-four schools, from as far north as Minerva, N.Y., and as far south as Chatham, N.Y., participated including: Academy of the Holy Names, Albany Academies, Berne-Knox-Westerlo, Bethlehem, Bishop Maginn, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, Chatham, Cohoes, Columbia, Glens Falls, Greenwich, Guilderland, Heatly, Ichabod Crane, Lake George, LaSalle Institute, Mayfield, Minerva, Niskayuna, North Warren, Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons, Queensbury, Rensselaer, Saratoga Springs, Schalmont, and Shaker.

First place winners included the following: student, Paw Law Eh Zan and teacher, Kim Jones from Rensselaer High School, and student, Garalyn Zink and teacher, Liza Miller from Schalmont High School.

Second place honors went to students Lynzi Alleshouse, Matthew Clauss, Annie Grimmke, Madeline Montague, Jorjana Otero, Whitney Owens, Meko Peregrim, Samantha Perry, Mandy Scheeren, Isabelle Sipperly, Sarah Tefft, and Brittany Walker and teacher, Naomi Meyer from Greenwich High School, and students Molly Rorick, Andrea Pitcher and Laura Strizzi, and teachers Debra Jakob and Kathy Kirch from Heatly School.

A panel of local artists judged the 41 chairs submitted for consideration. Winners received gift bags donated by Arlene’s Art Supply in Albany and gift certificates donated by the University Libraries. The Libraries will display and auction the finished works at the All Alumni Winetasting and Chair Auction on Friday, October 12, 2012. Proceeds will benefit UAlbany Libraries programs and services.

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