When the time comes to process Region-at-Large submissions, we bring in a small team of interns to help with the task. And this is no small task! Region-at-Large is where you submit your work if you don’t have a local affiliate program, and we saw some great art and writing being entered this year! Katherine Yee is an Awards alum and came back to join us for a second year of submission processing! Of the task, Katie says:
“In these past few weeks, I’ve handled countless submissions. The Alliance says there are more coming in every year. Although it might seem intimidating at first, the sheer volume of people who probably dream of doing the same things you do, you realize it’s less of a competitive environment and more of a community. It’s inspiring, really, that so many students express themselves so creatively and are brave enough to put their work into the world.”
Read on to hear more about Katie and her time here at the Alliance!
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: I’m sure working in the Alliance office brings back memories of winning your Award. Is that an experience you look back to often?
Katie Yee: Absolutely! The Alliance gave me my first ever award for creative writing, and I will always cherish that. For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a writer, but this Award gave me the reassurance that such a dream is attainable. It’s not just a piece of paper and a pin or your name published on a list; the Alliance ignites an incredible confidence in high school students.
SAWA: Do you have an educator or mentor who continues to support you?
KY: In high school, I interned for The Coffin Factory, an independent literary magazine based in Brooklyn. While much has changed since that time — including the name of the magazine, which is now Tweed’s — I’m happy to say I still work on the magazine. I’m so grateful that the founders and editors, Randy Rosenthal and Laura Isaacman, have continued to support and inspire me.
SAWA: Tell us about your time working with us during submission season! Do you think your time with us last year helped prepare you for the process for the 2015 Awards?
KY: The office can get a little hectic around this time of the year. The fact that I’ve worked with the Alliance once before definitely helped smooth the process out. There were a lot of friendly faces; one of the other interns from the previous year also rejoined the team. It was great getting to know her better, and we were able to recall and rectify mistakes we’d made in the past, so this year’s preparation process was pretty efficient!
SAWA: What advice do you have for young artists and writers submitting to the Awards?
KY: Submit as much as you can! You never know what will stick with the judges, and you should take advantage of this wonderful opportunity!
Students and educators can visit www.artandwriting.org on Frbruary 2, 2015 to view Region-at-Large results!