SHS Senior Willie McGee and SHS Junior Rowan Seltzer-Hill earn honors in international photography competition
Starkville High School senior, Willie McGee, and junior, Rowan Seltzer-Hill, have each earned top-six recognition in the 2026 Art Collectors Choice Awards, an international competition presented by American Art Awards. The award-winning photographs submitted by the students earned honors in the "Non-manipulated Photography" and "Manipulated Photography" categories under the subcategories of Landscape, Animal and Still Life.
The American Art Awards program honors up-and-coming artists in more than 50 categories through American and worldwide competitions each year designed to introduce new talent to the best museums and collectors in the world. Artists from 47 countries competed for awards, and the SHS student work is featured among about 300 international artists who were awarded 1st through 6th place in each category.
"Graves Into Gardens" - Willie McGee
McGee earned 5th place in the Manipulated Photography - Landscape or Still Life category for his work, "Graves Into Gardens." This year, he was also named a 2025 National Scholastic Gold Medalist through the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards program, an honor awarded to only 2800 students across the North American continent. During his high school career, McGee has earned multiple gold and silver awards in the state Scholastic Art program and Mississippi Beta art competition. He earned a 2nd place National Beta Award in Photography in 2024.
Seltzer-Hill earned eight Art Collectors Choice Awards in the categories of Non-manipulated - Animal, Landscape and Still Life, including 2nd place for "Off Spray" and 3rd place for "Distillery."
"When our students choose to compete in an international visual arts contest like the American Art Awards, it allows them to be measured against the world's best," said Andrew Lark, award-winning SHS art instructor. "I'm very proud of Rowan and Willie for their work and dedication to improving their craft."
It's these types of opportunities Lark feels pushes students to be better and to excel in their chosen media. Taking that chance can also catch the eye of colleges and universities.
"To compete against the world's most passionate photographers and artists can be very challenging, but also overwhelmingly rewarding for our student artists," he said. "When students put an international award like this on their resumes, college representatives see them as exceptional."
Through the Photography class, Yellow Jacket students learn the use of photographic equipment that professional photographers utilize as well as software such as Adobe Photoshop which helps with editing. Learning these real-world tools helps students prepare to continue their craft after high school and also positions them to be able to do well in competitions like the annual Art Collectors Choice Awards. In his role as teacher, Lark seeks to inspire students to be and do their best, to pursue their passion and to provide the tools necessary to achieve their goals, encouraging them to stretch out of their comfort zones. It's an approach that allows students to see their own potential and achieve it.
Arts education in the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District is available to students beginning in PreK, and students may enroll in arts electives beginning in 6th grade. Advanced instruction in visual arts, drawing, photography and ceramics is available to students beginning in 9th grade, and the Starkville High School visual arts program yearly produces statewide, national and international award-winners. Through award-winning and comprehensive instruction, students participating in the SHS visual arts program have earned scholarships to continue their studies in esteemed colleges across the country, including the Rhode Island School of Design and Savannah College of Art and Design and University of Virginia.
SHS 2026 ART COLLECTORS CHOICE COMPETITION AWARDS:
- CATEGORY 46. MANIPULATED PHOTOGRAPHY – LANDSCAPE OR STILL LIFE
5th Place - Tie WILLIE MCGEE - "Graves Into Gardens"
- CATEGORY 41. NON-MANIPULATED PHOTOGRAPHY – ANIMAL
6th Place - Tie ROWAN SELTZER-HILL - “Crane”
- CATEGORY 43. NON-MANIPULATED PHOTOGRAPHY – LANDSCAPE
2nd Place - Tie ROWAN SELTZER-HILL - “Off spray”
3rd Place - Tie ROWAN SELTZER-HILL - “Distillery”
4th Place - Tie ROWAN SELTZER-HILL - “Truck”
5th Place - Tie ROWAN SELTZER-HILL - “Sun Set”
5th Place - Tie ROWAN SELTZER-HILL - “Leaf”
6th Place - Tie ROWAN SELTZER-HILL - “Appalachian's”
- CATEGORY 44. NON-MANIPULATED PHOTOGRAPHY – STILL LIFE
5th Place - Tie ROWAN SELTZER-HILL - “A-5”
