Student Art Goes Once, Goes Twice, Sold!

Not wanting to get outbid for a third year in a row, Nicole McKoy showed up to a Prospect Hill auction ready to spend big to be extra sure she’d win the drawings made by her two favorite artists — who just so happen to be her daughters.

McKoy came prepared to prevail Wednesday night during the latest annual student art auction hosted by Celentano Biotech, Health, & Medical Magnet School. 

Her 6‑year-old daughter Nyla and 10-year-old daughter Morgan both had works featured in the event.

After losing out to a teacher’s high bid one year and a grandparent’s high bid another, McKoy resolved on Wednesday to outmaneuver her auction adversaries this time around — and, spoiler alert, she left the night with two drawings in hand, a proud parent of two accomplished student artists.

The 400 Canner St. PreK‑8 school’s cafeteria was decorated with 90 student art pieces for the silent auction. The student-artists received 50 percent of the proceeds for each of their works, while the remaining half of each winning bid went towards a school student programming fund.

The soiree gave Celentano parents, teachers, and students an opportunity to celebrate the kiddos’ creativity. And, of course, to compete over who would get to go home with prized artworks in hand.

Ten art pieces were selected from each PreK‑8 grade level for the event.

The student-made art on display showed everything from an astronaut floating in space discovering a new rainbow planet to portraits of home pets and celebrities.

The highest bid made Wednesday was for $50.

As winners were called from the cafeteria stage, teachers and parents cheered to celebrate their securing of a one-of-a-kind-art piece. 

Second-grade teacher Fran Holzbar spent $40 on eight pieces to decorate her new classroom next school year. 

“These feel like lottery tickets,” she said while picking up another receipt for a winning bid. 

Each year Holzbar aims to buy pieces she loves and that just so happen to also be by her current or past second-grade students. 

This year Nicole McKoy, a mother of two Celentano students, paid up to avoid getting outbid by her daughters’ teachers and grandparents — which is exactly what happened to her in the last two years. 

“This year I think I got it in the bag,” McKoy said with a smile while waiting to hear her name called as the winner of both her first-grader’s and fifth-grader’s pieces. 

“I love that they can see that hard work pays off,” she added. 

McKoy said the auction teaches students that they can become artists and make money off of their work and ​“it’s a confidence boost for them to see not just their parents bidding.” 

Six-year-old Nyla McKoy had her art picked to participate in the auction for a second year in a row. 

This year she made an outer space-themed piece featuring an astronaut surrounded by twinkly stars and several planets.

Ten-year-old Morgan Mckoy drew a landscape in which she pictured what a vacation to Los Angeles would look like, featuring a beach and palm trees 

“It’s [drawing] fun to do and helps me when I’m sad,” Morgan said. 

Morgan added that she hopes to be an artist when she grows up. 

Celentano’s art auction is an annual event to bring students, families, and staff together. 

In the past the event has been hosted in the form of a family dinner and online auction. 

Second-grade teacher Nicole Jacob has helped on the auction planning committee for the past seven years 

Despite the tough competition, Jacob scoped out the auction pieces Wednesday and made plans to place a bid or two. 

Over the years, each time she has won a piece she’s used the art to decorate her classroom. 

“The kids get so excited and they learn what they’re doing in school goes beyond these walls,” Jacob said. 

This year’s auction included musical performances for the first time from the school’s student choir and band. 

Students sang songs like ​“Lift Every Voice And Sing,” ​“God Bless America,” and ​“Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

The crowd of about 100 people was made up of families, staff, and some recently graduated students. 

Celentano art teacher John Sykes, who has been teaching at the school for 11 years, said he struggles each year to pick out only ten pieces from each grade. 

Sykes reminded his students that ​“I don’t always get picked” when he applies to have his own art in an auction.

Sykes selected from the many student projects that are made in his art class, as well as from some students’ independent works. His class projects range across different visual styles and cultures. 

“This will show the importance of the arts. Art brings families together,” he said. 

Minutes before the bidding period was closed Wednesday, Sykes announced to the crowd ​“if you really want it, keep going back to look at the bids.” 

Celentano staffers joined families in the bidding. Assistant Principal Lisa Pietrosimone bought three pieces. 

“It’s important that we expose students to entrepreneurship and show them that we see their talents,” said Principal Yolanda Jones-Generette.

Jones-Generette added that the auction event builds confidence in students who may not be strong in some academic areas. 

Melodie Thigpen, who retired from teaching at Celentano last year, established Celentano’s art auction tradition eight years ago.

At the time Thigpen was a first-year teacher in New Haven and Keisha Redd-Hannans was the principal at Celentano. Thigpen suggested that an auction be hosted to recognize students’ hidden talents and was assigned to be in charge of the event. 

Each year Thigpen frames the pieces she wins and decorates her home with them. ​“Every year I’ve spent so much money,” she said. 

When she has visitors she said she always gets compliments on the art pieces and surprised looks when she tells people they are student art works. 

Debra Liburd, a part-time math tutor who’s a retired educator, picked up a fifth grader’s portrait of Molly Ringwald and an eighth grader’s abstract painting that caught her eye.

“They won’t ever know the gift they have until we acknowledge them,” Thigpen said. 

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