WM Art Department Wins $50,000 First Prize in Vans Shoe Design Competition

Art students at Ward Melville were presented with a $50,000 check for the school's art department, having been named the winner of the annual Vans Custom Culture shoe design competition.

Students working with teacher Jim Swierupski were Omar Field-Rahman, Mary Kate Anselmini, Robin Caselli, Kerilynn McDonald, Elizabeth Serdock-Porto and Holly Manz. The project took approximately three weeks to complete, with students first sketching their designs and then painting them on donated pairs of Vans.

"This is an amazing moment for the students and Jim Swierupski," stated Ward Melville Chairperson for Art and Technology Jennifer Trettner. "It's a wonderful example of what true teamwork can accomplish. When a team works together, anything is possible."

One of 10 regional finalists from across the country, a panel of Vans artists and athletes voted Ward Melville the winner of the competition. The students' designs will be shown in a museum and will be considered to become a part of Vans' shoe line next spring.