29 St. Andrew's Students Win Scholastic Writing Awards, Including a National Medal

More than 100,000 students enter each year for the chance for their work to be recognized. The breadth of creative talent displayed by St. Andrew’s students was remarkable!

Upper School winners received a total of 35 awards across categories like Short Story, Poetry, Critical Essay, and Comic Arts. The ten recipients of the Gold Key Award had their works advance to national judging. National Awards results were announced on March 25, with Sebastian M. ‘26 receiving the National Silver Medal for his critical essay, “To Be or Not to Be: A Person, a Student, a Chatbot.” Sebastian will receive a certificate and medal and be considered for national exhibition, publication, and scholarship opportunities.

The competition draws renowned jurors in the visual and literary arts, many of them Scholastic alumni, like Marc Brown, Kay WalkingStick, Michael Bierut, Philip Pearlstein, and Edward Sorel. Other notable jurors over the years have included Langston Hughes, Judy Blume, Billy Collins, Edwidge Danticat, David Sedaris, Nikki Giovanni, Mickalene Thomas, Willie Cole, James Warhola, Ocean Vuong, Elizabeth Acevedo, and Tina Mabry. In judging each work, jurors look for originality, craftsmanship, and a unique voice. 

Founded in 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have helped generations of young people develop their voices and build creative confidence. The 29 award winners from St. Andrew’s join a group that includes celebrated authors, poets, playwrights, artists, and filmmakers – among them Amanda Gorman, Truman Capote, Joyce Carol Oates, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Andy Warhol, Richard Linklater, Sylvia Plath, and Cy Twombly. These former Scholastic Award winners are an incredible reminder of where this kind of early recognition can lead!

Congratulations to our Regional award winners and to Sebastian M. '26 on his National Medal! This recognition is a huge achievement. 

Lila B. ‘28: Short Story

Cassidy B. ‘28: Flash Fiction

David D. ‘26: Critical Essay (2)

Vienna E. ‘27: Personal Essay

Emerson G. ‘28: Poetry

Lyla H. ‘28: Short Story

Olivia K. ‘26: Critical Essay

Keira L. ‘28: Poetry

Annie M. ‘26: Critical Essay

Adaire M. ‘29: Poetry

Eli M. ‘27: Journalism

Sophie O. ‘28: Short Story

Ainsley P. ‘28: Critical Essay

Aneesa R. ‘26: Journalism

Jacob S. ‘27: Personal Essay

Rohwan S-T. ‘26: Personal Essay (2)

Alex S. ‘26: Personal Essay

Edmund X. ‘28: Personal Essay

Enzo H. ‘26: Critical Essay

Ray K-L. ‘29: Critical Essay

Olivia K. ‘26: Poetry and Short Story

Eva L. ‘28: Critical Essay

Rohwan S-T. ‘26: Critical Essay

Alex S. ‘26: Critical Essay (2) and Journalism

Cooper B. ‘28: Journalism

Riley C. ‘28: Critical Essay

Jules G. ‘26: Critical Essay

Holly H. ‘28: Personal Essay

Gigi J. ‘27: Critical Essay

Ray K-L. ‘29: Personal Essay

Kendall K. ‘29: Comic Arts

Sebastian M. ‘26: Critical Essay

Louis S. ‘28: Poetry

Alex S. ‘26: Critical Essay

National Medals
Sebastian M. ‘26: Silver Medal, Critical Essay