Gravette School District is continuing a year-long photography initiative for high school and middle school students, providing regular opportunities to sharpen their creative lenses and showcase their unique perspectives. For the November and December cycle, students were challenged to capture the world through four distinct lenses: Shapes, Architecture, Automotive, and Food.
Each submission is reviewed by a panel of Gravette School District staff members. Our judges look beyond just technical settings, instead focusing on:
Prompt: How well the image captures the essence of the category.
Creativity: Unique interpretations of the prompt.
Composition: How the student frames their subject.
Community Spirit: The heart and story behind the shot.
Thanks to the generous support of our community sponsors, winners in each category received a prize for their achievement. Below, we are proud to present the winners and runner-ups who truly stood out during this contest period.
Click Here to see the September + October gallery
3rd Place - Nov + Dec 2025 - Automotive - Precious Ellington (12th Grade)
This third-place image features a 1991 Ford Ranger photographed from a low angle, a choice that immediately emphasizes the vehicle’s shape, stance, and purpose. Parked alone, the truck becomes the clear focal point, reinforced by leading lines in the pavement that extend toward the horizon.
Taken in the evening, the soft blue and pink hues of the sky contrast with the muted gray surroundings, allowing the white body of the truck to stand out. Despite its age, the vehicle appears well-maintained and cared for, conveying pride in utility. The image reflects themes of work, reliability, and everyday purpose, capturing a quiet moment that feels familiar and grounded. It fits the Automotive prompt strongly by focusing not just on the vehicle itself, but on the story and character it represents.
2nd Place - Nov + Dec 2025 - Architecture - Kileigh Shaffer (10th Grade)
This photograph was taken inside Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, a space known for blending modern design with natural surroundings. From the interior, the student frames the building’s sweeping structural elements so they converge toward a bronze heart sculpture suspended at the center of the image. The architecture feels almost organic, with rib-like supports curving overhead, drawing the eye inward.
A strong visual contrast runs through the composition. Warm tones dominate the upper portion of the frame, while cooler grays and blues appear below, reflected in marble flooring and water visible through the windows. The sculpture anchors the image, supported by the surrounding structure in a way that feels intentional and balanced, like a heart at the center of a living body. Subtle background activity, diners seated in the restaurant space, adds a sense of life without distracting from the subject. The photograph captures architecture not just as a structure, but as a functional, lived-in work of art.
1st Place - Nov + Dec 2025 - Shapes - Sydnee Edwards (8th Grade)
This first-place photograph captures the moon on November 5, during a rare and striking lunar phase when it appeared unusually large and warmly colored in the night sky. Centered prominently in the frame, the moon becomes a study in pure form, a nearly perfect sphere suspended in darkness. Subtle surface details are visible along its edges and across its face, revealing ridges and depressions that give texture and depth to an object often perceived as flat or distant.
What makes this image exceptional is how it reimagines scale. The moon feels monumental, yet it occupies only a small portion of the frame, surrounded by stars (added in during editing) that emphasize both its proximity and its vast context within space. The balance of light allows the moon to remain detailed without overwhelming the surrounding sky, preserving both subject and setting. This photograph fits the Shapes prompt beautifully by transforming a familiar celestial object into something both intimate and awe-inspiring, highlighting the quiet wonder of our closest neighbor in space.
Runner-Up - Automotive - Nov + Dec 2025 - Hadley Robinson (9th Grade)
This creative entry takes a playful and unexpected approach to the Automotive prompt by featuring a Hot Wheels monster truck photographed in close-up. Shot in a sepia tone, the image strips away the toy’s usual bright colors and instead emphasizes form, texture, and sculpted detail. The shallow depth of field keeps only part of the truck in focus, drawing attention to the molded engine and shark-like body shape centered in the frame. By reframing a toy as a subject of serious visual study, the photographer expands the definition of “automotive” and demonstrates how thoughtful choices in tone and focus can transform something familiar into a striking composition.
Runner-Up - Architecture - Nov + Dec 2025 - Cadence Hanson (7th Grade)
This nighttime photograph captures a courthouse illuminated from below, its classical arches and multi-level façade standing out dramatically against the dark sky. Shot from ground level, the upward perspective emphasizes scale and grandeur, while shadows add depth and texture to the building’s smooth, brick and stucco-like exterior surface. The absence of visible grout lines gives the structure a solid, monumental presence, reinforcing its sense of permanence and authority. Choosing to photograph the building at night was an effective decision, allowing light and shadow to define the architecture in a way that feels both dramatic and reverent.
Runner-Up - Shapes - Nov + Dec 2025 - Ella Lovell (9th Grade)
This monochromatic image looks straight up at a circular ceiling light fixture set against a grid of square ceiling tiles, creating a strong contrast between curves and straight lines. The fixture’s perforated metal surface produces a subtle visual shimmer within the holes, an effect similar to a moiré pattern, which adds movement and depth to an otherwise static subject. Centered precisely in the frame, the circle becomes the dominant shape, while the surrounding grid reinforces its presence. The absence of color keeps attention firmly on geometry, contrast, and repetition, making this a smart and disciplined interpretation of the Shapes prompt.
Runner-Up - Food - Nov + Dec 2025 - Sydnee Edwards (8th Grade)
This seasonal photograph features donut holes arranged into the shape of a Christmas tree, transforming a simple snack into a playful and inviting centerpiece. The pastries resemble ornaments stacked in a conical form, creating a visually pleasing structure that feels festive. In the softly blurred background, a real Christmas tree echoes the shape of the food display, reinforcing the concept without competing for attention. The image feels warm, communal, and celebratory, capturing the spirit of a holiday gathering where food becomes both decoration and shared experience.
A Special Thank You
This contest is a true community effort, and it starts with the students. Thank you for your courage in exploring the world and sharing your perspective with all of us. To our teachers: thank you for the guidance and the logistical support that makes this program possible.
And thank you to our sponsor Bijou Preservation, for believing in the value of student creativity and helping make these contests possible. Your support gives students a reason to keep creating and a real reward for their effort.