Every fall, tens of thousands of talented teens submit hundreds of thousands of art and writing pieces to the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. photo by Roxanne Stevens
The Scholastic Awards provide an opportunity for young artists and writers to showcase their talents.
The Scholastic Art and Writing awards were founded in 1923 by Maurice R. Robinson. Since then, hundreds of thousands of teen writers and artists have submitted their works to the competition. The yearly event is run by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, a nonprofit that strives to promote creative achievements among students. Students who win awards are given opportunities to have their work published and displayed, and can receive a number of scholarships offered by various organizations that partner with the Awards. For creative students, the Scholastic Awards are a great opportunity to get their art and writing seen by the world.
There are over 20 different categories for student submissions. These include both art categories (Ceramics & Glass, Comic Art, Digital Art, Drawing and Illustration, Film & Animation, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography, and more) and writing categories (Critical Essay, Dramatic Script, Flash Fiction, Journalism, Novel Writing, Personal Essay & Memoir, Poetry, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Short Story, and more). Additionally, seniors can submit portfolios consisting of six pieces of either art or writing, a personal statement, and an artist statement. While there are no limits on the number of individual pieces students are allowed to submit, they can only submit four portfolios (two art and two writing). Each individual submission costs $10, and each portfolio submission costs $30. However, if the cost is a barrier for students, they can get a waiver to enter without a fee.
Scholastic judges choose which entries receive awards based on three criteria: originality, skill, and emergence of a personal voice or vision. This means that award-winning pieces typically don’t follow social media or classroom trends; they have a style unique to their creators. Students are also able to submit a description of their work with each of their submissions. Including a personal statement and/or context can be very helpful for judges to be able to understand the work. Only a fraction of submissions receive awards, so making sure their work stands out from the crowd is crucial for students. This task might seem intimidating, but Thomas Jefferson ceramics teacher Lisa Freedberg has had her students submit works to the awards for the past four years, with several receiving various different awards. Freedberg recommends that students submit their work. “I think it’s a good experience for students,” she explained, “especially those who want to be artists or go for other scholarships.” Even if students only win Honorable Mentions, their participation in the Awards is a good thing to put on a resume. Sophomore Ambrose Stevens is one award recipient from TJ. This past spring and summer, he won a regional Gold Key and a national Gold Medal for a ceramic octopus he submitted. “I was surprised because it was my first time ever entering,” he said.
Students who live anywhere in the US and Canada or in US territories and military bases are able to submit work. First, students will submit to their regional awards, where they are able to receive a Gold Key award, a Silver Key award, or an Honorable Mention. Students who win regional Gold Keys are automatically entered into the National Awards, where they can then go on to win Gold Medals, Silver Medals, and various scholarships. Deadlines for submission vary by region.
For students in Colorado, the regional art deadline is January 7, 2025, and the regional writing deadline is December 5, 2024. Winners in both categories will be announced in January. For students looking for a way to begin to get their art and writing works out into the world, the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are a great place to start. More information can be found on Scholastic’s website, at https://www.artandwriting.org/.
