Contact:
Mike Barrett
mbarrett@scholastic.com
(212) 343-6570

NEW YORK – January 21, 2015 – The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit organization whose mission is to identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent and present their remarkable work to the world through scholarships, exhibitions and the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, today announced the appointment of Debra Samdperil as Assistant Executive Director of Programs.

Based in New York and reporting to Virginia McEnerney, Executive Director for the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, Debra will be the key driver of strategy and outreach for the esteemed Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, including leading awareness campaigns, targeted to both educators and students, about the Alliance’s numerous student awards and scholarship opportunities. She will also oversee and work closely with the Alliance’s external relations team to support innovative national partnerships with organizations including the National Art Education Association and the National Writing Project and more.

Debra brings more than 15 years of art education and non-profit program development experience to the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, having most recently served as the Associate Vice President for Non-Degree Programs at the School of Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, where she led the regional scholarship submissions for the Scholastic Arts & Writing Awards in Massachusetts – one of the Alliance’s largest regional affiliate programs.

"Debra brings a wealth of experience and passion to her work supporting creative young people,” said Virginia McEnerney, “That coupled with her personal warmth and her experience running a local program of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, makes her an ideal addition to our team of professionals devoted to nurturing young talent. We are delighted to have her."

Debra earned her B.F.A. degree from Tufts University.

(Click the photo for a hi-res version in a new window)

Additional information about the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers and the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is available on the organization’s media room: mediaroom.scholastic.com/artandwriting.

About The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit administrator of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, partners with more than 100 regional affiliates across the country to bring the annual program to local communities, and works with a network of more than 60 colleges and universities to increase scholarship and award opportunities. All student works in 29 art and writing categories are evaluated regionally based on originality, technical skill and the emergence of a personal vision or voice. Alumni including Truman Capote, Philip Pearlstein, Sylvia Plath, Andy Warhol, John Updike and Stephen King who won when they were teens. For more information about the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, visit www.artandwriting.org.