The Maine Township High School District 207 Board of Education honored three students in the area of fine arts naming them “207’s Best” at a recent meeting. Eli Faulkner from Maine South was honored for her resilience, willingness to take creative risks and imagination.
The following information was written about Eli Faulkner as a part of the nomination by Maine South principal Dr. Antwan Babakhani.
ELI FAULKNER, MAINE SOUTH
It is my privilege to introduce Maine South senior Eli as our November D207’s Best recipient for Fine Arts. My conversation with Eli was one of those experiences I will not soon forget. When you look at her artistic talents, it is easy to understand why our Fine Arts Department selected her for this recognition. She is an extraordinarily gifted visual artist, an accomplished singer who recently earned a place in both the ILMEA District 7 Chorus and Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and a student whose creativity seems to know no boundaries. Her digital artwork is exceptional, and her ability to experiment with different materials, techniques, and forms of painting has consistently impressed her teachers. But what I discovered during our conversation is that Eli’s relationship with art goes far beyond talent. For her, art is something much more personal.
Throughout her four years at Maine South, Eli has intentionally filled her schedule with as many fine arts courses as possible. From graphic arts and digital art to studio art, choir, and theater, she has explored just about every opportunity available to her. In fact, she told me that she has taken virtual physical education for the past two years specifically so she could make more room in her schedule for art classes. I had to smile at that. Here is a student who is literally rearranging her school day to spend more time doing what she loves. And when I asked her why art was so important to her, she explained that it has always been a source of comfort, a place where she can express herself, connect with others, and find joy in creating something new. But as our conversation continued, she shared something that helped me understand just how meaningful art has become in her life.
During her sophomore year, Eli lost her father. He was a photographer and an artist himself, and someone who had always encouraged and supported her creativity. She explained that after his passing, she found herself becoming even more immersed in her artwork. Being at school, surrounded by other creative people and engaged in projects she genuinely loved, gave her a sense of comfort and purpose during an incredibly difficult time. And what I found especially moving was learning how she has begun incorporating her father’s memory into her work. For one of her AP Art projects this year, Eli is exploring themes of grief and remembrance, drawing inspiration from photographs her father took of her and the world around them. She has even taken flowers from his funeral and incorporated them into the paints she uses in some of her pieces. I have thought about that quite a bit since our conversation. There is something incredibly powerful about a young artist finding a way to take something associated with such profound loss and transform it into something beautiful. It reminded me that art is not simply about creating something for others to admire. Sometimes, it is how we make sense of the experiences that shape us, how we hold on to the people we love, and how we find ways to move forward while keeping their memory close.
Our Fine Arts Department Chair, Dr. Teralyn Keith, described Eli as having a sweet, gentle spirit, paired with an incredibly imaginative artistic mind. She spoke about Eli’s willingness to take creative risks and the beautiful, unexpected ways she brings her ideas to life. Former art teacher Greg Regalado, who worked closely with Eli, shared similar sentiments, describing her as quiet and reflective, yet remarkably resilient, someone who treats others with kindness and respect and consistently contributes to the creative community at Maine South. And I think those descriptions capture something important about Eli. Despite her extraordinary talent and the recognition she has earned through her artwork, she remains humble, thoughtful, and genuinely appreciative of the people and opportunities around her. She is not someone who needs to be the center of attention. She simply loves creating, learning, and sharing that passion with others.
When we talked about life after Maine South, Eli shared that she hopes to continue developing her artistic abilities in college, with interests ranging from graphic design and animation to storytelling and character development. She has already created logos, posters, stickers, and other digital designs, and she dreams of one day combining her artistic talents with her love of storytelling, perhaps through books, games, or animated projects. She is still exploring exactly what that future might look like, and I told her that I think that is perfectly fine. Someone with her imagination and range of talents has so many possibilities ahead of her. At one point, I even suggested that she consider coming back to Maine South someday as an art teacher. And I will tell you, Dr. Keith did not hesitate to express how much she would welcome that possibility.
What stays with me most about Eli is not simply how talented she is, although her talent is truly remarkable. It is the way she has found meaning, strength, and connection through her creativity. As a father myself, listening to her talk about her dad and the influence he continues to have on her life was especially moving. I could not help but think about how proud he would be of the young woman and artist she is becoming. Eli reminds us that the fine arts are about so much more than technical skill, performances, or finished pieces hanging on a wall. They give our students a way to express what words sometimes cannot, to discover who they are, and to turn their experiences into something meaningful. Eli embodies all of that. She is an extraordinary artist, but more importantly, she is an extraordinary young person. And we could not be more proud to recognize her as Maine South’s D207’s Best for Fine Arts.