Excited to Announce the 2022 THINK [about architecture] Scholarship Recipients

We’re pleased to announce that the judging is complete and we’ve awarded the final THINK [about architecture] scholarships. This year we offered the scholarship at 35 schools. Students were asked to explain how(where) they learned this year and how the architecture of their environment affected learning.

The 1st place State Level Scholarship ($1,000) was awarded to West Chicago resident Andrea Garcia. Her video focused on three key areas which include the media center, classrooms and football field at West Chicago Community High School. She explained how the variety of spaces facilitated individual and group study thus preparing her for the future.

The Runner-up State Level Scholarship ($500) was awarded to Elizabeth Katherine Wojcikowski of Homewood. Her entry focused on the new Fine Arts Addition. As a fine arts student, she highlighted how this new space enhanced her skills and helped her through her musical journey.

Recipients of the $500 School Level Scholarship include:

  • Austin Raymond Belsan (Lemont), graduate of Lemont High School in Lemont THSD 210
  • Elizabeth Katherine Wojcikowski (Homewood), graduate of Homewood Flossmoor Community High School in Homewood Flossmoor School District 233
  • Andrea Garcia (West Chicago), graduate of West Chicago Community High School in Community High School District 94
  • Sophia Elle Drozd (Frankfort), graduate of Lincoln-Way East High School in Lincoln-Way School District 210
  • Theo Raitzer (Wadsworth), graduate of Warren Township High School in Warren Township High School District 121
  • Aliza G. Salinas-Cervantes (Mendota), graduate of Mendota High School in Mendota Township High School District 280

We also awarded two $250 Honorable Mentions to:

  • Natalia Ciesla (Lemont), graduate of Lemont High School in Lemont THSD 210
  • Theodore Landgraf (Mendota), graduate of Mendota High School in Mendota Township High School District 280

The criteria used by the judges to score the videos:

  • Does the student express how they interact with the space(s)?
  • Does the student express how that interaction affected their education/ability to learn?
  • Does the student express how the space makes it possible to make connections to their teachers or classmates for things such as group or teamwork?
  • Does the student discuss their personal experience with the space(s) or demonstrate the role that the architecture plays in their lives?
  • Does the student point out any particular architectural or sustainable design aspects that show they thought about the architecture of the space?
  • Does the student do a good job of focusing their discussion and adequately discussing the space(s)?
  • Does the submission demonstrate creativity and/or ingenuity?
  • Does the submission demonstrate originality and/or uniqueness?
  • Does the student demonstrate an understanding of the built environment and how people interact with it?
  • Based on the view count/ratings, did the student promote their submission well?

Take a look at this year’s top entries:

Andrea Garcia

Elizabeth K. Wojcikowski