In 1923, Scholastic founder and former CEO Maurice R. Robinson established the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards to honor the creativity of young artists and writers, believing they should be celebrated just as much as their athletic peers. Now the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens, the awards have provided a platform for self-expression for over a century. Past recipients such as Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Stephen King, Lena Dunham, and Amanda Gorman, have gone on to shape the worlds of art, literature, fashion, and film.

This year, we are thrilled to celebrate our Upper School student artists who have been awarded Silver Keys and Honorable Mentions for their outstanding work in photography, drawing and illustration, and ceramics. These students exemplify passion and creativity, continuously pushing the boundaries of artistic expression.

Alex Basham ’26 (Photography)

Silver Key: Watering Hole Surrounded by Trees and Williamsburg Bridge at Golden Hour
Honorable Mention: Two Cars and Lofoten

Watering Hole Surrounded by Trees was captured using a drone, offering a unique aerial perspective of the waterfall. Tucked away in the Canadian forest, the waterfall’s secluded location and the lush trees surrounding it created a striking composition. As the drone ascended, the camera was tilted downward, revealing a natural frame where the trees formed a vignette around the waterfall and watering hole.

Williamsburg Bridge at Golden Hour showcases the Williamsburg Bridge alive with movement—subway trains, cars, pedestrians, and cyclists. Taken during a routine bike ride, the image was inspired by a moment of pause atop the bridge. Instead of crossing the pathway between the bike and pedestrian lanes as usual, the photographer looked inward at the bridge’s intricate structure. The composition immediately took shape, with the bridge’s framework naturally guiding the eye down the tracks, red fences lining the sides, and cars, nearly obscured in shadow, caught in traffic below. Waiting for the next train to arrive, the perfect moment presented itself.

Lofoten was taken in the majestic, remote region of Lofoten, Norway, a mountainous archipelago connected by single-lane roads and arched bridges that wind through tunnels of bare rock. During summer, the sun never sets here, lingering low in the sky at night when this photo was captured. Basham’s goal was to convey the essence of Lofoten—its breathtaking beauty and sense of isolation. To achieve this, the composition frames towering mountains behind a small town, with the main single-lane road stretching through the image, a bridge crossing the water in the foreground.

Hidden beside a Baptist church in Brooklyn, Two Cars captures the scene of two cars remaining motionless, untouched throughout the year. Illuminated by the church’s bare lights, a shadow is cast across the vehicles, emphasizing their solitary stillness. Basham sought to capture and preserve this moment of quiet rest, using the interplay of light and shadow to immortalize the scene in a photograph.

Alexandra Gerling ’26 (Photography)

Silver Key: Service Dog

The photo was taken on a ferry en route to Governors Island. Following the lessons taught by Ms. Adina Scherer, who always emphasized that light is the true subject, Gerling was inspired by the way the light fell on a dog wearing a service dog vest. While the dog is the focal point of the image, it was the light that sparked the desire to capture the moment. She is particularly drawn to this image because it highlights something often overlooked in everyday life—the subtle yet significant presence of animals in the spaces around us.

Shelby Kimmelman ’27 (Drawing & Illustration)

Silver Key: Words Hurt

Words Hurt is a graphite pencil drawing, rendered in two dimensions. Offering a unique take on the self-portrait, it portrays the diminishing effects of hurtful commentary from society on teenagers, highlighting the impact of painful words on both mental and physical well-being. “Words do hurt,” Kimmelman explained.

Dimitri Magdo-Krieger ’26 (Photography)

Silver Key: Colorblast

Lucas Powers-Wojtowicz ’26 (Photography)

Silver Key: Rainwater

Max Garner ’25 (Drawing & Illustration)

Honorable Mention: Fang

Fang was created with a pen, using a technique called stippling, and airbrush. This piece took Garner 22 hours to complete. The original work is currently on display in the Poly Arts Center Howard Aibel Lobby Gallery.

Charlotte Kuchinad ’26 (Photography)

Honorable Mention: Seeing Double

Gaby Flinn-Beane ’25 (Photography)

Honorable Mention: Glow Boy

Emilia Fusaro ’25 (Drawing & Illustration)

Honorable Mention: Peer Pressure

Leila Ross ’26 (Ceramics & Glass)

Honorable Mention: Reaching In, Reaching Out

John Miller ’27 (Photography)

Honorable Mention: Springs, New York 2024