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Interlochen students shine in regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

68 students received more than 273 awards from the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers.

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

Interlochen Arts Academy students from five majors were recognized by the West Central Michigan region of the 2019 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

The students received a total of 273 awards, including 96 Gold Keys, 80 Silver Keys, and 93 Honorable Mentions.

47 Visual Arts students earned a total of 178 awards, including 57 Gold Keys, 47 Silver Keys, and 74 Honorable Mentions. Seniors Selim Choi and G Romero-Johnson received two of the five regional American Visions Awards. Yimei Du and Javi Peterson both received Gold Keys for their portfolios. Visual Arts students Anqi Skok and Maud Negreiff also earned keys in the Creative Writing division of the Awards.

Creative Writing students won 85 awards, including 35 Gold Keys, 29 Silver Keys, and 16 Honorable Mentions. Arts Academy students Lane Devers, Ash Freeman, Fiona Stanton, Miracle Thornton, and Yvanna Vien Tica swept all five regional American Voices Awards. Darius Atefat-Peckham, Athena Nassar, and Sophie Paquette earned Gold Keys for their portfolios.

Students from Motion Picture Arts, Music, and Comparative Arts also received accolades. Motion Picture Arts major Trinity Hearns received a Silver Key in the arts division for her photograph, “Colored,” and an Honorable Mention in the writing division for her dramatic script, “Monochrome.” Comparative Arts was represented by Jamie John, who earned an Honorable Mention for his painting, “Spirit Animal,” and Gabriel Kennis, who earned a Silver Key for his short story, “Fallout.” Singer-songwriter major Bryn Battani took home three Gold Keys, a Silver Key, and an Honorable Mention for her poetry.

Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Award winners receive local recognition through exhibitions and ceremonies. As entrants in the West Central Michigan region, winning Interlochen Arts Academy student works will be exhibited at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gold Medal Portfolio and Gold Key winners will advance to the national level of the competition.

Founded in 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards recognize and celebrate the vision, ingenuity, and talent of creative American teenagers in grades 7-12. The Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent, and to recognize these students through scholarships and opportunities for exhibition and publishing.