PRINT ARTICLE

NEW YORK, NY – June 6, 2019 – The nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists & Writers recognized the top national award recipients of the 2019 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards at Carnegie Hall on June 6, 2019, as part of a week-long celebration in New York City. Close to 340,000 art and writing creations were submitted for the 2019 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. 

“We saw the clarity, acute observation, sensitivity, and beauty that teenagers possess. We admire the hard work and sharp minds, and their courage in sharing their voices and visions,” remarked Christopher Wisniewski, Executive Director for the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers.

Diana Rice, a Lodi resident and 2019 Cloverleaf High School graduate, was one of hundreds of students from across the nation recognized at the event for her oil self-portrait. Diana is the first Cloverleaf student to receive a Scholastic Art & Writing Gold Medal and one of five seniors from Ohio recognized with a Gold Medal for painting.

During the star studded evening, comedian Tina Fey addressed the award recipients telling them, “Don’t worry about your work being perfect. You try to get things to get better, and better, and better and sometimes it just goes. Don’t be afraid to show your drafts and just let it out.”

Students also heard from special guests Rose Byrne, Tracy K. Smith, and Zac Posen who encouraged them to carry on and be bold. As part of the week’s activities, a student showcase of National Medalist art and writing is on display through June 10 at the Parsons School of Design and Pratt Institute’s Manhattan Gallery in New York City. This art exhibit will travel across the country starting in Columbus, Ohio, Washington D.C., and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

For more information or to view the 2019 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards gallery online visit https://www.artandwriting.org.