Poly’s Scholastic Art & Writing Award Winners
Forty Poly students have been recognized in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious program honoring creative teens. Each year, students are encouraged by faculty to submit their work, sharing their artistic voices beyond campus and engaging with a broader creative community. This year, Poly students earned distinctions across a wide range of categories, including architecture and industrial design, fashion design, flash fiction, journalism, poetry, photography, and more. The work was inspired by learning at Poly, including history papers, Athletics photography, reflections on Outdoor Education trips, and stories inspired by their community engagement experiences.
At Poly, creativity is not viewed as an extracurricular pursuit but as an essential part of a student’s educational experience. “We encourage our students to be self-advocates and share their work in and outside of Poly,” said Arnor Bieltvedt, K–12 Chair of the Visual Arts Department and Middle and Upper School Visual Arts teacher. “Whether the students won an award or not, we celebrate all the Poly students who participated in the Scholastic Art Awards and other art competitions. It takes creativity, courage, and time to become a part of regional and national competitions. The results highlight our emphasis on creativity and artistic expression as an important part of our students' overall educational experience.”
In writing alone, more than 30 students submitted over 175 pieces spanning multiple genres. Upper School English Teacher and Writers Center Coordinator Rachel Pringle noted that the volume and authenticity of submissions were especially meaningful. “In the age of ChatGPT, it was heartening to see these teenagers still value authentic writing – work that reflects their own thoughts and craft, not just the reduplication of syntax and recycling of ideas from internet sources. I like to commend the winners in front of the whole Upper School because I hope that students will be inspired by their peers and, even if they’ve never thought of themselves as a ‘writer,’ try their hand at some form of writing. You never know what work will resonate with a judge, and you might actually find writing, which we often associate with tedium and frustration, can actually be liberating and even fun.”
Congratulations to our winners!
Scholastic Art Awards
Jasper M. ’26 – Gold Key (3) (Photography and Experimental Photography); Honorable Mention (2) (Photography and Experimental Photography)
Cici Z. ’26 – Gold Key (Architecture and Industrial Design); Silver Key (Architecture and Design); Honorable Mention (Architecture and Industrial Design)
Alejandro K.R. ’26 – Honorable Mention (Fashion)
Diego S. ’26 – Gold Key (Mixed Media)
Jack G. ’26 – Silver Key (Ceramics); Honorable Mention (2) (Ceramics)
Oliver M. ’26 – Gold Key (5) (Photography); Silver Key (2) (Photography)
Olivia A.d.T. ’26 – Silver Key (Painting)
William O. ’26 – Gold Key (Photography); Silver Key (2) (Photography)
Audrey M. ’27 – Silver Key (Mixed Media)
Cavon H. ’27 – Gold Key (3) (Photography); Silver Key (Photography); Honorable Mention (Photography)
Isabella H. ’27 – Honorable Mention (Photography)
Keira L. ’27 – Silver Key (Photography); Honorable Mention (6) (Drawing, Painting, Editorial Cartooning, and Photography)
Lucy C. ’27 – Honorable Mention (Painting)
Megan L. ’27 – Silver Key (Mixed Media)
Miles P. ’27 – Honorable Mention (3) (Drawing and Painting)
Kelland H. ’27 – Silver Key (Photography); Honorable Mention (2) (Photography)
Theo B. ’27 – Gold Key (Photography); Silver Key (2) (Photography); Honorable Mention (Photography)
Robert P. ’28 – Gold Key (2) (Photography); Silver Key (4) (Photography and Experimental Photography); Honorable Mention (5) (Photography and Experimental Photography)
Ryan K. ’28 – Gold Key (Photography); Silver Key (2) (Photography); Honorable Mention (Photography)
Cici Z. ’26 – Gold Key (Architecture and Industrial Design); Silver Key (Architecture and Design); Honorable Mention (Architecture and Industrial Design)
Alejandro K.R. ’26 – Honorable Mention (Fashion)
Diego S. ’26 – Gold Key (Mixed Media)
Jack G. ’26 – Silver Key (Ceramics); Honorable Mention (2) (Ceramics)
Oliver M. ’26 – Gold Key (5) (Photography); Silver Key (2) (Photography)
Olivia A.d.T. ’26 – Silver Key (Painting)
William O. ’26 – Gold Key (Photography); Silver Key (2) (Photography)
Audrey M. ’27 – Silver Key (Mixed Media)
Cavon H. ’27 – Gold Key (3) (Photography); Silver Key (Photography); Honorable Mention (Photography)
Isabella H. ’27 – Honorable Mention (Photography)
Keira L. ’27 – Silver Key (Photography); Honorable Mention (6) (Drawing, Painting, Editorial Cartooning, and Photography)
Lucy C. ’27 – Honorable Mention (Painting)
Megan L. ’27 – Silver Key (Mixed Media)
Miles P. ’27 – Honorable Mention (3) (Drawing and Painting)
Kelland H. ’27 – Silver Key (Photography); Honorable Mention (2) (Photography)
Theo B. ’27 – Gold Key (Photography); Silver Key (2) (Photography); Honorable Mention (Photography)
Robert P. ’28 – Gold Key (2) (Photography); Silver Key (4) (Photography and Experimental Photography); Honorable Mention (5) (Photography and Experimental Photography)
Ryan K. ’28 – Gold Key (Photography); Silver Key (2) (Photography); Honorable Mention (Photography)
Scholastic Writing Awards
Allison Z. ’26 – Gold Key (3) (Personal Essay & Memoir); Gold Key (9) (Poetry); Gold Key (Short Story); Silver Key (Personal Essay & Memoir); Silver Key (7) (Poetry); Honorable Mention (Personal Essay & Memoir); Honorable Mention (9) (Poetry); Honorable Mention (Screenplays & Scripts); Honorable Mention (Short Story)
Filiz F. ’26 – Gold Key (Personal Essay & Memoir); Gold Key (Poetry); Gold Key (Portfolio); Silver Key (2) (Personal Essay & Memoir); Silver Key (5) (Poetry); Silver Key (Portfolio); Honorable Mention (Personal Essay & Memoir); Honorable Mention (12) (Poetry)
Jack G. ’26 – Honorable Mention (Personal Essay)
Sophie A. ’26 – Silver Key (Personal Essay & Memoir); Silver Key (Critical Essay)
Madeleine D. ’26 – Silver Key (2) (Critical Essay); Honorable Mention (Personal Essay & Memoir)
Jujube H. ’27 – Gold Key (Short Story); Silver Key (Short Story); Honorable Mention (3) (Critical Essay)
Nathan Y. ’27 – Gold Key (Poetry); Silver Key (Poetry)
Anya M. ’27 – Silver Key (Journalism)
Apollo W. ’27 – Silver Key (Flash Fiction)
Kara K. ’27 – Gold Key (Critical Essay)
Keira L. ’27 – Gold Key (Poetry)
Kaitlyn C. ’27 – Gold Key (Journalism); Gold Key (Personal Essay & Memoir)
Cavon H. ’27 – Honorable Mention (Flash Fiction)
Jessica L. ’27 – Honorable Mention (Short Story)
Elizabeth R. ’27 – Honorable Mention (Critical Essay)
Naomi T.-O. ’27 – Silver Key (Critical Essay); Honorable Mention (Critical Essay)
Lauren P. ’28 – Gold Key (Flash Fiction); Silver Key (Poetry)
William P. ’28 – Gold Key (2) (Poetry); Silver Key (Journalism); Silver Key (Poetry); Honorable Mention (Poetry)
Oona D. ’28 – Honorable Mention (Critical Essay)
Ryan K. ’28 – Honorable Mention (Journalism)
Aidan S. ’28 – Honorable Mention (Flash Fiction)
Annie D. ’28 – Silver Key (Poetry)
Eleanor Y. ’28 – Silver Key (Poetry)
Maynard L. ’29 – Honorable Mention (Speculative Fiction)
Jacob P. ’30 – Gold Key (Critical Essay – American Voices Nominee); Silver Key (Poetry); Honorable Mention (Journalism)
Filiz F. ’26 – Gold Key (Personal Essay & Memoir); Gold Key (Poetry); Gold Key (Portfolio); Silver Key (2) (Personal Essay & Memoir); Silver Key (5) (Poetry); Silver Key (Portfolio); Honorable Mention (Personal Essay & Memoir); Honorable Mention (12) (Poetry)
Jack G. ’26 – Honorable Mention (Personal Essay)
Sophie A. ’26 – Silver Key (Personal Essay & Memoir); Silver Key (Critical Essay)
Madeleine D. ’26 – Silver Key (2) (Critical Essay); Honorable Mention (Personal Essay & Memoir)
Jujube H. ’27 – Gold Key (Short Story); Silver Key (Short Story); Honorable Mention (3) (Critical Essay)
Nathan Y. ’27 – Gold Key (Poetry); Silver Key (Poetry)
Anya M. ’27 – Silver Key (Journalism)
Apollo W. ’27 – Silver Key (Flash Fiction)
Kara K. ’27 – Gold Key (Critical Essay)
Keira L. ’27 – Gold Key (Poetry)
Kaitlyn C. ’27 – Gold Key (Journalism); Gold Key (Personal Essay & Memoir)
Cavon H. ’27 – Honorable Mention (Flash Fiction)
Jessica L. ’27 – Honorable Mention (Short Story)
Elizabeth R. ’27 – Honorable Mention (Critical Essay)
Naomi T.-O. ’27 – Silver Key (Critical Essay); Honorable Mention (Critical Essay)
Lauren P. ’28 – Gold Key (Flash Fiction); Silver Key (Poetry)
William P. ’28 – Gold Key (2) (Poetry); Silver Key (Journalism); Silver Key (Poetry); Honorable Mention (Poetry)
Oona D. ’28 – Honorable Mention (Critical Essay)
Ryan K. ’28 – Honorable Mention (Journalism)
Aidan S. ’28 – Honorable Mention (Flash Fiction)
Annie D. ’28 – Silver Key (Poetry)
Eleanor Y. ’28 – Silver Key (Poetry)
Maynard L. ’29 – Honorable Mention (Speculative Fiction)
Jacob P. ’30 – Gold Key (Critical Essay – American Voices Nominee); Silver Key (Poetry); Honorable Mention (Journalism)
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