FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio - Over the past decade there's been a push in academics towards STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculum. Now that momentum has expanded with educators adding arts into the dynamic for STEAM.

The latter defines the Cleveland Clinic's eXpressions Art Program, which this past year received more than 1,700 art, language and math projects. The award-winning educational initiative engages middle and high school students in the creative exploration of science and medicine.

This year Fairview High School art teacher Ryan Graff decided to have his 60 students participate in the prestigious program.

"During the summer the Cleveland Clinic will take in student interns who research different topics and form a hypothesis to present their data," Graff said. "What the art students do in turn is pick out a topic that they're interested in and they present it in a visual form."

Out of the dozens of submissions, four Fairview Park art students were recognized in this year's eXpressions Art Program. Their artwork is featured in an accompanying catalog, on the program's website and at the Global Center for Health Innovation.

Cleveland Clinic's eXpressions Art Program awarded a blue ribbon for its top prize. Next was the red ribbon, which is what Fairview Park sophomore Bridget Smotek and senior Anxhela Dalipi received for their project "The Wires of ADHD."

"This was exciting because we got to put a mental illness into a form of art and hope that people can better understand and perceive what it is," Smotek said. "Ours stood out because of the simplicity yet complexity behind the piece. The wires represented thoughts and what is going on in the brain of someone with ADHD.

"This project was enjoyable because you were able to choose what you wanted to do. It was a more personal project. We could connect with knowing people who it affected."

Cleveland Clinic's eXpressions Art Program white ribbon winners from Fairview Park included freshmen Madalyn Harris ("Mother's Love") and Paige Anders ("Patients First"), as well as junior Rachel Coyne ("Hand Hygiene").

Graff said a common denominator among three of the four ribbon winners was the use of the Innovation Center's laser cutter.

"Absolutely we'll do it again next year," Graff said. "It's definitely a worthwhile project for any art teacher to participate in as well."