Every year, the Alliance partners with dedicated individuals, foundations, and corporations to offer creative scholarship opportunities to teen artists and writers whose experiences and ideas help shape the communities around them. Listed below are the teens who received these special awards for their art or writing.

The Flaunt It Award

The Flaunt It Award was developed in collaboration with Don’t Hide It, Flaunt It (DHIFI, Inc.), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works to advance acceptance, tolerance, and mutual respect for people’s visible or invisible differences. The Award, underwritten by Don’t Hide It, Flaunt It; RBC Foundation USA; and Morgan Stanley, recognizes teens who look or feel different and who reflect and share their experiences (whether it be challenges, acceptance, or a celebration) about what makes them unique. This award provides two students with $1,000 scholarships.

Suan Jeong, Teterboro, NJ
Chai Turner, Abington, MA

The Herblock Award for Editorial Cartoon

The Herblock Award for Editorial Cartoon, underwritten by The Herb Block Foundation, celebrates the legacy of four-time Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist Herb Block. This award provides three students who exhibit excellence in editorial cartoons with $1,000 scholarships.

Coralista Ruge, Camillus, NY
Gabe Santiago, Rockville, MD
Matthew Yu, The Woodlands, TX

New York Life Award

The national New York Life Award, underwritten by the New York Life Foundation, provides six students whose works explore personal grief, loss, and bereavement with $1,000 scholarships. Additional state scholarships of $500 are available to two students from each of the following states: California, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas.

Nicola Bailey, Santa Barbara, CA
Peony Gao, Richmond, BC
Emma Ray, Naperville, IL
Sophia Sun, Alpharetta, GA
Seungwan Yu, Langley, BC
Isabella Zavalney, Austin, TX

Featured image: Gabe Santiago, Gay-Free School Zone, Editorial Cartoon sponsored by The Herb Block Foundation. Grade 12, Rockville High School, Rockville, MD. Connie Zammett, Educator; Baltimore Office of Promotions & the Arts, Inc., Affiliate. Gold Medal, The Herblock Award for Editorial Cartoon