Every year, the photography teacher Mr. Peter Griga encourages students to submit their work to the Drexel High School Photography Contest. This contest is held annually by Drexel University, an arts and design college in Philadelphia.

The contest required that high school art students submit three of their images digitally, fill out an application, and pay a fee of $10 in order for their work to be considered.

First, second, and third place winners are selected as well as three runners up. Additional winners are also selected to have their art displayed at an exhibit in February 2018. The first place winner will also receive a $500 cash prize and several other monetary awards are given out.

The contest receives many submissions from all over the United States; however only around 120 photos are selected for the exhibition each year.

“There [are] many excellent images that we [can] not include” due to the exhibition size restrictions, according to Drexel.

The deadline was originally November 20 and then extended to November 28. Students who submitted their work will be notified December 11 whether or not their work has been selected to be displayed by Drexel.

By January 18 of the new year, students will be notified if they won a specific award.

“The importance of entering a photography or art contest in my opinion is to gain experience not only in the pressure that comes with entering a contest but especially the rejection that comes with not winning.

“In the art culture, learning how to not let rejection crush you is very important because often times it is necessary in order to improve as an artist,” said Kelley Kossanyi, 10.

The photography program has had several students’ work selected over the years and may be able to gain even more this year.

After wrapping up submissions to Drexel, photography students will quickly move on to the next and biggest photography contest of the year: Scholastics Art and Writing competition.