The Flagler County Cultural Council this month presented Maxie Puritis with the first place prize in the 19th Annual Creekside Festival Flagler Palm Coast High School Photography Contest. Puritis, a student at FPC, won the highest prize amongst five given out by the Cultural Council.
The contest challenged aspiring photographers who attend FPC to capture the beauty in the community around them – both natural and human. The results showed a diverse eye for composition, visual storytelling, and the scenes that make Flagler County picturesque. It’s easy to imagine, looking at the natural talent from a young age, the heights each student may reach should they pursue a career in photography.
“I think this is extremely important. These guys work hard each and every day to showcase the work they are doing in our classrooms. The community awareness is a huge deal and I’m proud of them,” said FPC Principal Bobby Bosserdat. “I think what’s great about our community is the collaboration with our community partners. They really invest in the students and our district, and we’re glad we can put out a great product everyone can be proud of.” He and Assistant Principal Stacia Collier both attended the award presentation.
The winner of the contest was Maxie Puritis, but four other students were honored for their submissions. Rylee Draper came in second place, Lana Rogers placed third, Michelle Kozinski ranked fourth, and Liliana Delbuono took home the People’s Choice Awards. Angela Biggs, Fine Arts Instructor at Flagler Palm Coast High School, supplied the photos which were honored in the contest. Each one provides a unique and inspired view of the world around them, displayed proudly at the recent Creekside Festival at Princess Place Preserve.
“Every year for almost 15 years now we have participated in the Creekside Festival,” Biggs said. “We are so excited we participated and the students loved the idea of being able to have their images seen by lots of people. It is a wonderful thing to be able to participate in the community.”
“The Flagler County Cultural Council is extremely proud to support this program showcasing our district’s student photographers as they demonstrate their skills and participate in curated shows across Flagler County,” added Nancy Crouch, President of the Flagler County Cultural Council.
Each of the following photos was supplied as a courtesy of Biggs.
First Place: Maxie Puritis
Second Place: Rylee Draper
Third Place: Lana Rogers
Fourth Place: Michelle Kozinski
People’s Choice: Liliana Delbuono
