The first place overall Home Telecom 2026 BCSD Art Contest winner is Sophia Ligon, a senior at Philip Simmons High School whose drawing, entitled The Common Table, will grace a billboard for everyone in Berkeley County to see and enjoy.
The annual contest recognizes first, second and third place winners in the elementary, middle and high school age groups with first, second and third place winners overall.
Marrington Middle School of the Arts’ Bella Ramos took second place overall with her colorful “Peace”ful Day at the Beach with Friends while 10-year-old Arya Ekrall from Howe Hall AIMS garnered third place overall with her work, Life More Colorful with Technology.
"We are deeply grateful for this art contest, which creates meaningful opportunities for our district and gives our students a platform to be seen, celebrated and inspired,” Cassandra Cowdrey, Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator for Berkeley County School District, said. “The artwork submitted was truly beautiful and showcased an incredible level of talent, creativity and thoughtfulness, something our students should be very proud of."
The BCSD Art Contest is one of several outreaches in support of local education from Home Telecom, this one specifically focused on art education programs across Berkeley County. Students compete for the best artistic depiction of Lowcountry landscapes, events, technology or historical landmarks. Home Telecom donates $1,000 to each of the three winning art departments; $500 to the second-place winners’ art departments; and $250 to the third-place winners’ art departments. Participating art departments who submitted artwork receiving honorable mentions also receive $100 each.
In the past 12 years, Home Telecom has awarded nearly $70,000 to participating art departments in the Berkeley County school system, which they can use for art materials.
“I want to congratulate Sophia for her exceptional work and artistic talent, and also recognize her art teacher, Paige Duvall, for guiding and encouraging her creative growth,” Gina Shuler, Home Telecom’s Vice President of Marketing, said.“In addition to highlighting Sophia’s vibrant creativity, this billboard serves as a welcoming visual introduction to Berkeley County for both residents and visitors, featuring scenes that genuinely reflect the character of our area.”
The full list of winners in each age category are as follows:
Elementary Schools
1st Place: Arya Ekrall at Howe Hall AIMS Elementary School for Life More Colorful with Technology
2nd Place: Lilian Cabiella at Hanahan Elementary School for Evening with My Best Friend
3rd Place: Owen Atkins at Daniel Island School for The Perfect Pic at Cypress Gardens
Middle Schools
1st Place: Bella Ramos at Marrington Middle School of the Arts for “Peace”ful Day at the Beach
2nd Place: Ella Kate Crawford at Carolyn Lewis Middle School for Photographing Pineville Chapel
3rd Place: Delaney Beane at Cane Bay Middle School for Lullaby of the Woodland Meadow
High Schools
1st Place: Sophia Ligon at Philip Simmons High School with The Common Table
2nd Place: Ebelin Martinez-Hernandez at Berkeley High School for The Jeffries Lock (aka The Tailrace Canal Lock)
3rd Place: Olivia Gandolfo at Timberland High School for Anoles & Kudzu