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Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

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Art & Writing Awards

AT–A–GLANCE
What is it?

Founded in 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the nation's longest-running, most prestigious educational initiative supporting student achievement in the visual and literary arts.  The program has an impressive legacy of being the first to acknowledge creative talent and is today's largest source of scholarships for creative teens.

Who's it for?

Creative teenagers in grades 7–12 from public, private and home schools throughout the U.S. and its territories, as well as American-run schools abroad and students who make art and writing through community organizations.

Visit the Website

artandwriting.org

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Contact

Michael Barrett
mbarrett@scholastic.com
(212) 343-6570

Art & Writing In The News

THE WASHINGTON POST
Gold Medal Portfolio winner Razan Elbaba breaks stereotypes about Muslim women throughout her winning artwork

PBS NEWSHOUR
Art Beat talks to Gold Medal Portfolio winner, Nyanna Johnson, about her winning black-and-white photography portfolio.

TIME.COM
Jade Lo, a winner in the 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and six renowned artists experiment with new virtual reality gear that creates 3D artwork

THE NEW YORKER
An inside look at the 2014 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards national adjudication process with 12th grade photography judges Andres Serrano, Casey Kelbaugh and Julie Saul.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Gold Medalist Steven Paul, 17, of Brooklyn, NY discusses his photograph "Lost Time," which was painted by Colossal Media on onto the side of a building in Williamsburg.

NBC NEWS
Gold Medalist Steven Paul from Edward R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn, NY featured on “Nightly News” to talk about his Award-winning photograph.

Winning a Scholastic Art & Writing Award brought me from high school in Wichita, Kansas, to art school in New York City. It changed the course of my life.

—— Tom Otterness, acclaimed American sculptor, public artist and Awards alumnus

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Press Releases

Background

What are the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards?

  • The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards recognize student achievement in the visual and literary arts in 29 categories, including editorial cartoon, poetry, graphic design, fashion, science fiction, video game design and more.
  • Since the program’s founding in 1923, the Awards have fostered the creativity and talent of millions of students, including renowned alumni who have gone on to become leaders in their fields, including Andy Warhol, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Charles White, Philip Pearlstein, Sylvia Plath, Kay WalkingStick, Luis Jiménez, Ken Burns, Stephen King, Lena Dunham, Richard Linklater, and Zac Posen.
  • An Award signifies to parents, teachers, the community and colleges that a student is an accomplished artist or writer.
  • The Awards offer opportunities for creative teens to earn recognition, exhibition, publication and scholarships.
  • In the 2017 program year, 16 high school seniors received the Portfolio Gold Award, which includes a $10,000 scholarship.
  • Each work of art and writing is blindly adjudicated, first locally through the more than 100 affiliates of the Alliance, and then nationally by panels of judges comprised of renowned artists, authors, educators and industry experts.
  • Works are judged on originality, technical skill, and emergence of personal vision or voice.
  • To learn more about the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and to read the full rules, visit: http://www.artandwriting.org/the-awards/how-to-enter

What is The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers?

  • The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers is the national nonprofit organization that presents the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and provides additional opportunities for creative teens to be recognized for their talents and to earn scholarships for their education.
  • The Alliance’s mission is to identify teenagers with exceptional artistic and literary talent and bring their remarkable work to a national audience.
  • The Alliance also serves as a source of information for organizations and individuals who wish to support the creative development of our nation’s teenagers.
  • The Alliance of Young Artists & Writers is grateful to our generous sponsors, who provide funds to support and produce all our programs, including the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the Art.Write.Now.Tour, Scholastic Awards Summer Scholarships, Workshops, and more: Scholastic Inc., The Maurice R. Robinson Fund, Command Web Offset Co., The New York Times, New York Life Foundation, The Herb Block Foundation, Blick Art Materials & Utrecht Art Supplies, Gedenk Movement, Royal Bank of Canada, Golden Artist Colors, Neiman Marcus, Garcia Family Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, ESA Foundation, The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Creative Circle, Amazon Literary Partnership, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and numerous other individual, foundation, and corporate funders; and, for the National Student Poets Program: President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, Institute of Museum and Library Services, Poetry Foundation, Library of Congress, and Academy of American Poets.

 

National Student Poets Program

What is the National Student Poets Program?

  • The National Student Poets Program is the nation’s highest honor for youth poets presenting original work. It is a collaboration of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. The program builds upon the Alliance's longstanding work with educators and creative teens through the prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
  • Now in its sixth year, the Program selects five outstanding high school poets whose work exhibits exceptional creativity, dedication to craft, and promise for a year of service as national poetry ambassadors. Each National Student Poet represents one of five regions of the country.
  • The 2017 National Student Poets' year of service begins in Washington, D.C. with an appointment ceremony at the Library of Congress, a private workshop with the 21st Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera and a reading at the National Book Festival.
  • During the course of their ambassadorial year, the National Student Poets showcase the essential role of writing and the arts in academic and personal success by leading readings and workshops at libraries, museums and schools, as well as participating in prestigious events throughout the country. They additionally create and implement service projects that expand the reach of the program and its engagement with audiences in their respective regions.
  • The National Student Poets each receive an academic award of $5,000.
  • The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is the exclusive pathway to be considered for the National Student Poets Program. Students must receive a national medal in poetry through blind adjudication by a panel of distinguished jurors. From the top-winning work in the Scholastic Awards, a national jury of literary luminaries and leaders in education and the arts selects five student poets, based on the student’s creativity, promise and dedication to craft.
  • Students in grades 10–11 who are interested in becoming 2018 National Student Poets must submit their entries to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards starting in September 2017. Deadlines for art and writing submissions vary by region.
  • Information on the Program, students and upcoming events can be found at www.artandwriting.org/NSPP
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The 2017 National Student Poets

Video: What is the National Student Poets Program?

Download a one sheet about the 2017 National Student Poets.

Annie Castillo
Age 16
George Mason High School
Falls Church, VA
Region: Southeast
Kinsale Hueston
Age 17
St. Margaret’s Episcopal School
Corona del Mar, CA
Region: West
Ben Lee
Age 16
The Blake School
Edina, MN
Region: Midwest
Juliet Lubwama
Age 17
Downingtown STEM Academy
Downingtown, PA
Region: Northeast
Camila Sanmiguel
Age 17
John B. Alexander High School
Laredo, TX
Region: Southwest

 

Downloads

2017 National Student Poets Ceremony at the Library of Congress
(click the thumbnails below to open a hi-res image for download)


Actor Alfre Woodard, left, congratulates 2017 National Student Poet Annie Castillo, of Falls Church, Va., on her inaugural reading at the Library of Congress on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Washington. (Kevin Wolf/AP Images for Alliance for Young Artist & Writers)


Actor Alfre Woodard, left, congratulates 2017 National Student Poet Kinsale Hueston, of Corona del Mar, Calif., on her inaugural reading at the Library of Congress on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Washington. (Kevin Wolf/AP Images for Alliance for Young Artist & Writers)


Actor Alfre Woodard, left, congratulates 2017 National Student Poet Ben Lee, of Edina, Minn., on his inaugural reading at the Library of Congress on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Washington. (Kevin Wolf/AP Images for Alliance for Young Artist & Writers)


Actor Alfre Woodard, left, congratulates 2017 National Student Poet Juliet Lubwama, of Downingtown, Pa., on her inaugural reading at the Library of Congress on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Washington. (Kevin Wolf/AP Images for Alliance for Young Artist & Writers)


Actor Alfre Woodard, left, congratulates 2017 National Student Poet Camila Sanmiguel, of Laredo, Texas, on her inaugural reading at the Library of Congress on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Washington. (Kevin Wolf/AP Images for Alliance for Young Artist & Writers)


From left, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden honors the newly-appointed 2017 Class of National Student Poets Ben Lee, Annie Castillo, Kinsale Hueston, Juliet Lubwama, and Camila Sanmiguel, with Actor Alfre Woodard, 21st U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera and Director of Institute of Museum and Library Services Kathryn K. Matthew on the rooftop balcony at the Library of Congress on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Washington. (Kevin Wolf/AP Images for Alliance for Young Artist & Writers)


The newly-appointed 2017 Class of National Student Poets Annie Castillo, Camila Sanmiguel, Juliet Lubwama, Ben Lee, and Kinsale Hueston are honored during a ceremony at the Library of Congress on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Washington. (Kevin Wolf/AP Images for Alliance for Young Artist & Writers)


The newly-appointed 2017 Class of National Student Poets, from left, Ben Lee, Juliet Lubwama, Annie Castillo, Kinsale Hueston, and Camila Sanmiguel celebrate with a selfie on the rooftop balcony at the Library of Congress on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Washington. (Kevin Wolf/AP Images for Alliance for Young Artist & Writers)

 

The 2017 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards at Carnegie Hall
(click the thumbnails below to open a hi-res image for download)


Pictured from left to right, CEO and President of Scholastic, Richard Robinson, actor Allison Williams (Girls & Get Out) and Executive Director of Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, Virginia McEnerney, pose backstage at the National Ceremony for the 2017 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards held at Carnegie Hall, New York, N.Y., Thursday, June 8, 2017. (Photo by Stuart Ramson/AP Images for Scholastic)
 

Pictured from center left to right, CEO and President of Scholastic, Richard Robinson, actress and comedian Amy Schumer, actor Ellie Kemper, actor Allison Williams (Girls & Get Out), artist Paul Chan, Awesomeness TV host Hunter March and Executive Director of Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, Virginia McEnerney, pose with the 2017 Gold Medal Portfolio recipients at the National Ceremony for the 2017 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards held at Carnegie Hall, New York, N.Y., Thursday, June 8, 2017. (Photo by Stuart Ramson/AP Images for Scholastic)
 

Pictured back left to right, actress and comedian Amy Schumer, actor Ellie Kemper, actor Allison Williams (Girls & Get Out), Awesomeness TV host Hunter March and artist Paul Chan, pose with the 2016 National Student Poets at the National Ceremony for the 2017 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards held at Carnegie Hall, New York, N.Y., Thursday, June 8, 2017. (Photo by Stuart Ramson/AP Images for Scholastic)
 

Actress and comedian Amy Schumer addresses students and their families and teachers at the National Ceremony for the 2017 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards held at Carnegie Hall, New York, N.Y., Thursday, June 8, 2017. (Photo by Stuart Ramson/AP Images for Scholastic)
 

Actor Ellie Kemper addresses students and their families and teachers at the National Ceremony for the 2017 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards held at Carnegie Hall, New York, N.Y., Thursday, June 8, 2017. (Photo by Stuart Ramson/AP Images for Scholastic)

Actor Allison Williams (Girls & Get Out) addresses students and their families and teachers at the National Ceremony for the 2017 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards held at Carnegie Hall, New York, N.Y., Thursday, June 8, 2017. (Photo by Stuart Ramson/AP Images for Scholastic)

 

Video: Click here to download an .mp4 file video.

Actress and comedian Amy Schumer, CEO and President of Scholastic, Richard Robinson, Michelle Obama, Executive Director of Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, Virginia McEnerney, actor Ellie Kemper, actor artist Paul Chan, and Allison Williams (Girls & Get Out) address students and their families and teachers at the National Ceremony for the 2017 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards held at Carnegie Hall, New York, N.Y., Thursday, June 8, 2017.

General

Virginia McEnerney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, talks about the importance of the Awards, its 94-year history, and its notable alumni of creative leaders.

Audio: http://mediaroom.scholastic.com/files/Scholastic-Art-Writing-Awards-Virginia-McEnerney.wav

Video: http://mediaroom.scholastic.com/files/Scholastic-Art-Writing-Awards-Virginia-McEnerney.mp4

The Best Teen Writing of 2017 (click the image below to open a hi-res version in a new window)

Art.Write.Now.Tour 2016–17

Art.Write.Now.Tour, a traveling exhibition of select Scholastic Art & Writing Award–winning works, highlights some of the most stunning examples of teen-produced art and writing in the nation.

Current Cities

New tour dates announced in September 2017

Past Cities

To see a sample of works included in the Art.Write.Now.Tour 2016–17 traveling exhibition, click here.

Archived Press Releases