Ordinary things in weird situations,” explains Nicholas Espinosa, pointing at his Scholastic Award-winning sculpture. That’s how “Xanthous,” (Greek for yellow) came to be: but it was just the beginning of Nick’s summer adventure.

“It’s a regular fire hydrant, but it’s twisted up as if it’s going to take off into the air,” notes Espinosa, a rising junior at Coral Reef High School in Miami. And take off it did, lifting him up and transporting him cross-country from South Florida to spend three weeks making art at Interlochen Arts Camp in rural Michigan!

Nick applied for an ASAP (Alliance Summer Art Program) Award, a program funded by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation and partners such as Interlochen Arts Camp. More than 200 students applied for ASAP Awards this summer and with the help of 35 partner programs, about 85 students honed their artistic and literary skills at summer intensives across the country.

For three weeks at Interlochen Arts Camp, Espinosa focused his studies on three-dimensional art. “I really like sculpting, [as well as] drawing and painting,” says Espinosa.

He continued to complete artwork that not only focused on sculpture, but also metalsmithing and ceramics. “I really like that there are only about six kids in each of my art classes. The teachers have more one-on-one time with each of us which is different from studying art in other places.”