Interlochen Arts Academy students honored at the national level of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
24 students from two majors received recognition in the prestigious national program.
Gold medal recipient Ji Hu Park's "Nowhere to Run, nowhere to go"
Illustration by Mervyn Jones
"Encaustics" by Silver Medal with Distinction winner Rena Grossman
"A Collection of Images" by silver medalist Sophia Chefalo
24 Interlochen Arts Academy students have been selected as winners in the 2020 national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. These students, from the Arts Academy’s creative writing and visual arts majors, received a total of 31 awards for their works in visual arts, creative writing, and digital media.
The 31 awards included 10 Gold Medals, two Silver Medals with Distinction, and 18 Silver Medals. Freshman Stefania Bielkina received an American Voices award—the program’s highest honor—for her personal essay, “How To Become a Trilingual.” Three visual arts students, Sophia Chefalo, Rena Grossman, and Mervyn Jones, received accolades for their portfolios. Creative writers Hannah Schoettmer and Poppy Rosales also received portfolio honors.
Winning students reached the national level of the competition by earning Gold Key awards in the West Michigan regional competition, hosted by Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University. Recipients of regional awards showcased their work at a special exhibition at the Fed Galleries at Kendall College of Art and Design from Feb. 11 through Feb. 29. The regional awards ceremony took place on Feb. 29.
As winners of national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the students will be recognized during a special ceremony at New York City’s Carnegie Hall. Recipients of the highest honors will have their work displayed in the Art.Write.Now. National Exhibition in New York City, Art.Write.Now.Tour, and/or Art.Write.Now.DC in Washington, D.C.
Founded in 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers to recognize and celebrate the vision, ingenuity, and talent of our nation’s youth. Each year, young artists in grades 7-12 are invited to submit their works in 29 different categories of art and writing for the chance to earn scholarships and exhibition opportunities.
Congratulations to all our winners!
- Hannah Alpert - Gold Medal, Silver Medal
- Sara Carmichael - Silver Medal
- Colby Case - Two Silver Medals
- Sophia Chefalo - Silver Medal
- Stefania Bielkina - Gold Medal, American Voices Award
- Lane Devers - Gold Medal
- Rena Grossman - Silver Medal with Distinction
- Lewis Harter - Silver Medal
- Samantha Haviland - Silver Medal
- Hiosut He - Silver Medal
- Mervyn Jones - Silver Medal
- Seth Kirby - Silver Medal
- Celia Kornblum - Silver Medal
- Bianca Layog - Gold Medal
- Isabella Morgan - Silver Medal
- Ji Hu Park - Gold Medal
- Poppy Rosales - Silver Medal with Distinction
- Hannah Schoettmer - Silver Medal
- Maia Siegel - Two Gold Medals, Two Silver Medals
- Amiri Sykes - Gold Medal
- Miracle Thornton - Gold Medal, Silver Medal
- Priyanka Voruganti - Gold Medal
- Xueer Wang - Silver Medal
- Kaitung Yeung - Silver Medal
- Ann Zhao - Silver Medal
