Meet the 2016 Best-in-Grade Recipients

scholastic_awards_logo_cymk Bloomberg_Philanthropies_Logo The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards’ Best-in-Grade Award, generously sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies, is given to two writers and two artists in each grade level, along with a $500 cash prize. All students who submit to the Scholastic Awards are eligible for this special recognition. This year’s recipients represent the best and the brightest writers and artists in grades 7-12.

2016 Best-in-Grade Award Recipients

Grade 7

CAROLINE BLUMER, “Cast Away”, Short Story, Grade 7, Age 13, Charleston County School of the Arts, North Charleston, SC

SCOTT HANNAH, Creepy Crawler, Ceramics & Glass, Grade 7, Age 12, Detroit Country Day Middle School, Beverly Hills, MI

REAGAN MURPHY, Meter Running, Mixed Media, Grade 7, Age 12, Jay Robinson Middle School, Charlotte, NC

JULIANA YU, “Death Follows”, Short Story, Grade 7, Age 13, The Dalton School, New York, NY

Grade 8

It was obvious from the curious glances and the blatant stares that Nanchi Village, with its population of 600 people, was not used to getting visitors, let alone visitors from America.

from “One in Eight Million” by Sadie Cowles

SADIE COWLES, “One in Eight Million”, Personal Essay & Memoir, Grade 8, Age 14, Frank H Harrison Middle School, Yarmouth, ME

ERIN HONG, Big Smile, Drawing & Illustration, Grade 8, Age 14, Home School, Holden, MA

ELIZABETH JOHNS, “Selling Death: The Joe Camel Campaign”, Critical Essay, Grade 8, Age 13, Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, Chicago, IL

MERCEDES LANGDON, Graduation Day, Photography, Grade 8, Age 14, Springfield Ball Charter School, Springfield, IL

Grade 9

1792790_karly-wolfcale_a-dream — *A Dream* by Karly Wolfcale

EMMA LICKEY, “The Lost Child”, Short Story, Grade 9, Age 14, Grant High School, Portland, OR

LINDSEY WILLIAMS, “Letters From A Girl”, Short Story, Grade 9, Age 14, Abiqua Academy, Salem, OR

KARLY WOLFCALE, A Dream, Photography, Grade 9, Age 14, Homestead High School, Fort Wayne, IN

ALYSSA ZHANG, Thinking, Mixed Media, Grade 9, Age 15, Northview High School, Duluth, GA

Grade 10

I cannot chart the moment when I left boyhood. My bones had not finished growing, only stuck their pale heads into the light of my flesh and opened their mouths.

from “When Told Not to Chronicle Eroticism” by Aidan Forster

MADDY DAUM, The Tourist, Photography, Grade 10, Age 15, Harvard-Westlake School, North Hollywood, CA

AIDAN FORSTER, “When Told Not to Chronicle Eroticism”, Poetry, Grade 10, Age 15, Fine Arts Center, Greenville, SC

AVA YOUNG, Chicken, Film & Animation, Grade 10, Age 15, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Toronto, Canada

LILY ZHOU, “Beijing, Beijing”, Short Story, Grade 10, Age 15, Aragon High School, San Mateo, CA

Grade 11

*The Ties That Bind: An Attempt To Figure It Out* by Sierra Callwood

SIERRA CALLWOOD, The Ties That Bind: An Attempt To Figure It Out, Mixed Media, Grade 11, Age 17, NSU University School, Fort Lauderdale, FL

MAYA EASHWARAN, “Linguistics; Poem for Ayesha; Jude in November; Mother Earth has osteoporosis; Wilt”, Poetry, Grade 11, Age 17, Milton High School, Alpharetta, GA

JIHYE NAM, “Pink Balloons”, Personal Essay & Memoir, Grade 11, Skyline High School, Ann Arbor, MI

JAMES TORTORELLI, Hidden In The Pews Zine, Design, Grade 10, Age 17, Home School, Gaithersburg, MD

Grade 12

Jasmine

Everyday, I visit a local coffee shop and order a twelve-ounce cup of Jasmine tea. The smiling barista hands me a delicate white timer set for three minutes, though most days I leave the bag steeped long after the beeps, the way father likes it. I will never tell him though.

from “Father Tea” by Alex Zhang

ZACHARY GUDZIAK, Human Trap, Jewelry, Grade 12, Age 17, Detroit Country Day School: Upper School, Beverly Hills, MI

CAROL NGUYEN, This Home Is Not Empty, Film & Amnimation, Grade 12, Age 17, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Toronto, Canada

AUDREY SPENSLEY, “Georgia on My Mind; American Derive”, Poetry, Grade 12, Age 17, Avon Lake High School, Avon Lake, OH

ALEX ZHANG, “Father Tea”, Personal Essay & Memoir, Grade 12, Age 18, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH