There are a lot of important and exciting dates in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards calendar. September 16, 2013 was a big day for us as the 2014 Awards opened for submissions and we watched the first ones come in. Today, the 2014 National Medalists were officially announced!
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious award and recognition program for creative teens. In addition to more than 1,800 of the most talented and ambitious students in grades 7-12 chosen to receive National Medals, 16 high school seniors were honored with a Gold Medal Portfolio Award. The Gold Medal Portfolio Award is the highest level of achievement in the Scholastic Awards — which, apart from providing much-deserved recognition to these talented teens, also provides them with a $10,000 cash scholarship!
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2014 Gold Medal Portfolios: Tyra Abraham, age 17 of New York, NY; Hanel Baveja, 17, Ann Arbor, MI; Ellie Braun, 17, Richmond, VA; Brandon Brooks, 18, Charlotte, NC; Madison Brownson, 18, Napoleon, OH; Nathan Cummings, 18, Mercer Island, WA; Shannon Daniels, 17, New York, NY; Jonathan Gelernter, 17, Woodbridge, CT; Emma Hastings, 17, Vienna, VA; Kasem Kydd, 17, Weston, MA; Haley Lee, 16, Scottsdale, AZ; Jack Rayson, 18, Nashville, TN; Lisa Su, 18 Timonium, MD; Jackson Trice, 17, Greenville, SC; Patrick Zapien, 18, Houston, TX; and Luis Zepeda, 18, Lake Worth, FL. A complete list of winners is available here.
We would also like to extend a big thank you to all the professionals who participated in judging this year, at all levels of the Awards! This year’s list of jurors included Andres Serrano (artist), Edwidge Danticat (writer), Michael Raisler (producer), Kay WalkingStick (artist), Jane Cohan (gallery owner), David Krasnow (“Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen”), Alison Elizabeth Taylor (artist) and Stephen Savage (illustrator)! Check out what some of them had to say about their experience as judges here!
To celebrate the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards’ National Medalists, the Alliance will kick-off this year’s National Events in New York City on June 5, 2014 with the first annual Maker Prom – a party with interactive art-making stations – at the Roosevelt Hotel and the grand opening of the Art.Write.Now. National Exhibition. The National Exhibition will contain a large selection of the Award-winning art and writing and will be displayed at Parsons The New School for Design and the Pratt Manhattan Gallery. On June 6, 2014, students will be honored during a special National Ceremony at the world-famous Carnegie Hall where they will be joined on stage by this year’s Alumni Achievement Award recipient Kay WalkingStick. The Awards will also webcast the Ceremony live from Carnegie Hall for all to see. Visit our website for more information about coordinating your own viewing party, complete with a hosting guide!
Congratulations to all the National Medalists, but also to all the participants — submitting personal art and writing takes a huge amount of bravery! Find out more about the Awards on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and LinkedIn.