Upper School Students Awarded for Art and Writing

Each year, millions of students across the United States submit works of art and writing, with about 40,000 receiving honors. Winners of Gold Key awards at the regional level have their submissions automatically entered into the national competition. Over two dozen entries were submitted from Upper School students, and we have achieved astounding results with several Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mentions.

• Aiden G. '26, a two-year, consecutive Gold Key award winner, earned recognition for his sculpture "The Firebird."
• Becky L. '25 received a Gold Key for her sculpture "Black Beauty."
• Michael X. '25 received a Gold Key for his short story From the Clouds (Inspired by a True Event).
• Katelynn W. '25 was awarded a Silver Key for her personal essay and memoir, Don't Forget Me, and two Honorable Mentions for her novel writing, Queen of Spades, and short story, Perfection.

Each student expressed gratitude and motivation when asked about being recognized for their creative work. Aiden explained that his mixed media sculpture drew inspiration from the Slavic folktale that embodies his Ukrainian heritage. He commented, "I am truly honored and humbled to have won a Scholastic Gold Key Award. Not everyone gets the opportunity to showcase their artwork nationally, so I am incredibly grateful for the recognition." Becky found inspiration for her artwork in the prompt to use only black and white paper, with her primary focus drawn from the beauty of braids and nature. She stated, "I am incredibly honored to have even been considered, and now I am even more inspired and motivated to create more art."

Michael expressed his gratitude, sharing, "I am glad that the personal emotions I projected can reach and resonate with a larger audience. I have always felt that writing is a forgotten form of art compared to painting, photography, and others, largely due to the faster lifestyles we are living. I am thrilled to be recognized as a creative writer." Katelynn cherishes the recognition that celebrates her bond with her grandmother. She said, "This piece is near and dear to my heart as it centers on my relationship with my 90-year-old grandmother, who has been one of my greatest supporters throughout my life".

"It is challenging to put your creative work out into the world to be judged. For this, you are all to be commended. Continue to be cultural producers who frame the world for us to read, look at, and ponder." shared Arts Department Chair Ms. Sloan.

Congratulations to the students. We hope to share more with you next week while we wait to learn about our National standings. Good luck to all Gold Key winners!