Does your kid dream of making a name for themselves in the arts? Students enrolled in seventh through 12th grade (and at least 13 years old) are invited to enter their work in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, a national competition dating back to 1923 with famed alumni including Andy Warhol, Ken Burns, and Amanda Gorman.
Works with themes in current events, grief, human-caused climate change, and political or social issues are eligible for $1,000 scholarships. Tuition to summer programs and higher education are also available. Selections from each year’s national medalists are featured in exhibitions throughout the country.
Grace Abboud, a Boulder-based artist, won a national Silver Medal award and a $200 scholarship to the CU Denver LYNX National Arts and Media Camp for her fashion entry last year. Then an eighth grader, Abboud repurposed hot tub covers to create a jacket, top, and skirt outfit called “Hand-Me-Down Hot Tubs.” Using a sewing machine and weaving small cut strips into the jacket, she created an intricate patterned look.
“I take pride in the fine details because it makes a piece that is much more interesting to me as a designer and to others viewing my work,” Abboud says. “I understand that this approach is much more difficult, but to me it’s always worth it to take the harder path and get better results.”
Interested students can enter through the Scholastic website. The deadline for writing works is December 6, and art works is January 6. Regional winners will be announced in late January, 2022.
