By far the most
presitigious awards program for
high school students, the
Scholastic Art and
Writing Awards have been recognizing students with extraordinary
talent for over eighty years.
In addition to the distinct art and writing components of the program, the awards are divided into sixteen art and ten writing subcategories (i.e.
short story or
drama for writing;
sculpture or
graphic design for art). Students submit their work in these areas to a
regional jury, which is usually
sponsored by a local
newspaper, and consists of local
English teachers,
journalists, and other qualified people.
Award-winning pieces are submitted to a national competition at the
headquarters for the
Alliance for Young Artists and Writers in
New York City. Three possible awards are given in the contest:
Silver keys,
gold keys, and
Pinnacle awards. Additional awards and
scholarships are given by sponsoring organizations. Student winners are presented their awards during a
ceremony at the
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in
Washington D.C.. In addition, student art is displayed at the
Corcoran Gallery of Art.
Students interested in more information on these awards should visit the official
website at
http://www.scholastic.com/artandwriting/.