FWCD Earns Top Honors in ATPI Rising Star Program
Upper School student photographers have once again demonstrated the power of thoughtful storytelling and artistic vision. Their outstanding work earned the School the Rising Star Program Award from the Association of Texas Photography Instructors (ATPI). This recognition is given to the school with the most winning portfolios in this highly competitive statewide contest.
The Rising Star Program invites schools to submit 10-image portfolios in up to eight categories: Architecture, Commercial/Advertising, Portrait, Documentary/Photojournalism, Landscape/Nature, Sports, Still Life and Thematic. Each portfolio must represent the collective work of multiple students, with a limit of three images per contributor. This year, FWCD’s entries featured the talents of 15 students across Art Fundamentals, Photography I-III, and AP 2-D Design/Photography courses.
FWCD earned the overall Rising Star Award as well as first place in the Architecture, Portrait, and Thematic Portfolio categories, and second place in Documentary/Photojournalism. The full winners gallery will be available soon on the ATPI website.
Below is a listing of how the students placed.
Thematic Portfolio – First Place (Theme: “Passage”)
Mason Tuomey ’26 (Photo II)
William Marlow ’26 (AP Photo)
Ashton Theesfeld ’26 (AP Photo)
William Runyon ’26 (AP Photo)
Brodie McCullough ’27 (Photo I)
Portrait Portfolio – First Place
Ashton Theesfeld ’26 (AP Photo)
Katie Baldwin ’28 (Art Fundamentals)
Jesus Orozco ’25 (Photo III)
Mason Tuomey ’26 (Photo II)
William Marlow ’26 (AP Photo)
Jordan Jones ’25 (Photo III)
Max Kaufmann ’25 (Photo III)
William Runyon ’26 (AP Photo)
Architecture Portfolio – First Place
Ashton Theesfeld ’26 (AP Photo)
Avery Williams ’28 (Photo I)
Jordan Jones ’25 (Photo III)
Mason Tuomey ’26 (Photo II)
Eliza Hilliard ’26 (AP Photo)
William Runyon ’26 (AP Photo)
Genevieve Rudner ’27 (Photo I)
Documentary/Photojournalism Portfolio – Second Place
Ashton Theesfeld ’26 (AP Photo)
Henry Harrington ’25 (Photo III)
Sophia Pastusek ’28 (Photo I)
Kai Chancellor ’27 (Photo I)
William Marlow ’26 (AP Photo)
Mason Tuomey ’26 (Photo II)
Jordan Jones ’25 (Photo III)
“These results speak to the creativity, discipline, and collaborative spirit our students bring to their work,” said Upper School Photography Teacher Emily Arnold. “It’s a privilege to witness their growth and celebrate their accomplishments.”
The official Rising Star Program Award will be presented during the ATPI Winter Conference next year, where Arnold hopes many of the returning students will be able to attend and accept the honor.
