BRATTLEBORO — Youths from across Vermont have been recognized by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for their exceptional artistic and literary talent.
The 133 award-winning entries of artwork and writing will be exhibited at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) starting Friday, Feb. 19.
The exhibit will culminate in a virtual awards ceremony on its last day, Saturday, March 6, at noon. This year's keynote speaker will be Lina Longtoe, an Abenaki filmmaker and educator.
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is a prestigious national recognition program for aspiring visual artists and writers. Each year, students in grades 7–12 are invited to submit art and writing in dozens of categories, including ceramics, digital art, painting, photography, poetry, science fiction, and personal essay/memoir.
Submissions are judged on a statewide level, with the top award winners considered for national awards, including college scholarships, museum exhibitions, and publication opportunities.
Statewide awards consist of Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention.
Since its founding in 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have nurtured the talents and helped launch the careers of many creative visionaries. The many past winners include Truman Capote, Lena Dunham, Stephen King, Sylvia Plath, John Updike, and Andy Warhol.
In 2014, Edil Hassan, a Somali refugee and high school senior from Burlington, joined that rarefied group when she was selected as one of only 16 recipients nationwide of the Awards' highest honor: a Portfolio Gold Medal and $10,000 college scholarship.
BMAC has administered the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for Vermont since 2011. According to BMAC Exhibitions Manager Sarah Freeman, participation in the program has grown steadily since its inception. This year's award-winning work was selected from among a total of 594 submissions by 157 students from throughout the state.
Gold Key winners from schools in Windham County include Antonio Andrew-Moore (grade 8, The Grammar School); Gabrielle Chisamore (grade 12, Brattleboro Union High School); Jazmyn Creamer (grade 12, Vermont Academy); Marcie Cummings (grade 12, The Putney School); Addie Dennes (grade 8, Stratton Mountain School); Jude Fidel (grade 9, Stratton Mountain School).
Also, Rhys Florence-Smith (grade 8, Oak Meadow School); Brayden Goodman (grade 8, Stratton Mountain School); Andrew Gould (grade 11, Vermont Academy); Mia Hennum (grade 11, Vermont Academy); Magdalen Moon Hodgson (grade 12, Vermont Academy); Anna Hubbard (grade 11, The Putney School); Lauri Kallio (grade 11, Vermont Academy); Ella Korson (grade 10, Brattleboro Union High School); Ledlie Laughlin (grade 12, The Putney School).
Also, Maxine Moore (grade 11, Vermont Academy); Teo Ogden (grade 8, The Grammar School); James Roberts (grade 12, The Putney School); Izabella Segui (grade 12, Vermont Academy); Sofia Sigman (grade 10, The Putney School); Lauryn Socha (grade 12, Stratton Mountain School).
Also, Ruby Stone (grade 12, Brattleboro Union High School); Viva Vadim (grade 11, The Putney School); Hazel Wagner (grade 12, Brattleboro Union High School); Yiwen Wu (grade 12, Vermont Academy); Xiaoqi Yuan (grade 11, The Putney School); and Qitai Zhu (grade 10, The Putney School).