Local students earn national awards
In January, 225 middle school and high school artists and writers from Washington, Greene and Fayette county schools submitted work to the 16th annual Scholastic Art and Writing Awards of Southwestern Pennsylvania at California University of Pennsylvania.
Ten Gold Keys were awarded to young writers from the jury, comprised of professors, local artists and writers. Young artists were presented with 39 Gold Keys. These manuscripts and artworks were then subjected to national adjudication in New York City.
The national office of Scholastic Art and Writing Awards recently announced that five of those students whose work was awarded Gold Keys in the California program have been awarded national honors.
Shruthi Shivkumar, a senior at Peters Township High School, earned two Gold Medals for her science fiction narrative, “Dreamers,” and her personal essay, “Words.”
Scholastic National Gold Medal Winner Benjamin Zeisloft, a Peters Township student, reads from his work at the Southwest PA Regional Awards Ceremony at California University of Pennsylvania Feb. 18.
Benjamin Zeisloft, also a Peters Township senior, was awarded a Gold Medal and the American Voices award for his journalistic entry, “Infrastructure in Africa: The Fastest Road to Development.”
Haley Ference, a senior at Ringgold High School, was awarded a Gold Medal and an American Visions Award for her painting, “Daydreaming.”
Two middle school artists received honors. Carson Gilleland, an eighth-grader at AJ McMullen Middle School in Markleysburg, was awarded a Gold Medal for her mixed media piece constructed of wood and metal, “The Center.” Isabella Jenkins, a seventh-grader at Central Christian Academy in Houston, earned a Silver Medal for her photograph, “Jellyfish.”
Ringgold student Haley Ference is presented with a Gold Key award by Dr. Kim Vanderlaan.
All of the young artists and writers, their teachers and families were invited to a reception and an awards ceremony on Feb. 18. Guest speakers chosen to speak at the ceremonies each year are former honorees. This year’s speaker was Emily Mills, a 2014 honoree who is now an activist supporting the rights of Native Americans with the organization Honor the Earth in northern Minnesota. Mills encouraged the 2018 honorees to take advantage of their talent and find a passion.
The works earning Gold Keys, Silver Keys and Merit Awards were on exhibit at California University from Jan. 29 to Feb. 18.
The Gold Key art was exhibited at the Citizens Library in Washington from Feb. 18 to March 3.
Schools participating in the 2018 Awards were AJ McMullen Middle School, Albert Gallatin Senior High School, Avella Area Jr. Sr. High School, Belle Vernon Middle School, Brownsville Middle School, Canon-McMillan High School, Carmichaels Area High School, Central Christian Academy, Charleroi Area High School, Fort Cherry High School, Geibel Catholic Jr. Sr. High School, Laurel Highlands Senior High School, Lakeview Christian Academy, Mapletown High School, Peters Township High School and Middle School, Ringgold High School and Middle School, Trinity High School and Middle School, Uniontown High School, and Waynesburg Central High School.
The program is funded by Cal U. and administered by a board of artists, professors and retired teachers. The directors are Sandy Boyles and Janice Hatfield. Board members are Judith Totty, Jeff Jones, Jim Winegar, Linda Winegar, Dr. Kimberly Vanderlaan, Dr. Connie Monroe, Deborah Mainwaring, Mike Boyles, Darla Holmes and Mark Marietta.