Madison teens excel among Scholastic artists, writers

MADISON – Madison students have proven their skills in creative writing, multimedia and visual arts with judging in the Scholastic Alliance for Young Artists and Writers.

Since 1923, the alliance has awarded students for outstanding writing and art. The alliance promotes scholarship opportunities to exceptional students across the nation and International Schools.  

Seniors can enter an eight-piece body of work in a concentration or series. All students can enter individual pieces. A panel of artists blindly judges all work. 

Scholastic is judged both regionally and nationally. Any student work with a Gold Key Award at regional is forwarded and judged at the national level. In June, National Gold Key individuals and portfolio winners will be recognized at Carnegie Hall, and the Empire State Building will be bathed in gold light in their honor.

Alabama participates in the Southeast Region At Large or SERAL, which includes public and private schools from Washington D.C. to Texas with approximately 2,000 students competing. “SERAL is the regional step towards nationals. They judge individual pieces as well as portfolios, which consist of eight pieces,” James Clemens art teacher Liz Vaughn sad.

“This year, there were only 12 portfolio awards in the SERAL. One was from James Clemens — Hannah Einhorn,” Vaughn said.

This year, Alabama has 26 National Award winners. “Eight of those are from Bob Jones and James Clemens. That’s one-third of the overall state awards,” Bob Jones art teacher Robin Lakso said.

A student receives recognition for his or her portfolio only if all eight pieces are pieces show the same level of expertise.

Bob Jones students with multimedia instructor Brandy Panagos won several honors:

* Dalia Altubuh — Gold, Silver Key, digital; Gold Key, poetry.

* Casey Kula — Gold Key, mixed media and photography; honorable mention, photography.

* Maggie Brown — Gold Key, poetry; honorable mention, dramatic script.

* Constance Hu — Silver Key, flash fiction.

* Cassie Volkin — Honorable mention, writing portfolio.

Robin Lakso teaches visual art classes:

* Holly Bradshaw — Silver Key, drawing.

* Dylan Coleman — Gold Key, design.

* Amber Guo — Silver Key, honorable mention (2), drawing.

* Raegan Hall — Gold, Silver Key, honorable mention, drawing.

* Shiyeon Ku — Gold, Silver (2) Key, painting, drawing.

* Laura Lewis — Honorable mention, art portfolio.

* Meredith Martin — Honorable mention (3), drawing.

* Michael McGinley — Gold Key (5), drawing, painting.

* Sally Yeardley — Silver Key.

Vaughn’s students earned numerous commendations:

* Sylvia Cortes — Gold, Silver Key, honorable mention, painting, drawing.

* Madeline Drucker — Silver Key, honorable mention, painting.

* Hannah Einhorn — Gold, Silver Key portfolio, design; Gold (2), Silver Key (4), honorable mention (2), painting, drawing.

* Ange Long — Gold Key (2), drawing.

* Lauren Norris — Silver Key (2), drawing.

* Maddie Scholtterer — Honorable mention, comic art.