Scholastic Art Awards: Recognizing and Honoring Originality, Skill & Personal Vision

February 14, 2023

Since 2014, PCS art students have been entering their artwork to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: Alliance for Young Artists and Writers (www.artandwriting.org). This alliance, who is celebrating their centennial anniversary this year, is “the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens”!

This year, six PCS art student award recipients for the Oregon regional area awards received two gold key, one silver key, and five honorable mentions for their amazing and original artwork.

Recipients of the Scholastic Art Awards

From left: Isobel Espinor, Vicky Pham, Lara Gordon, Ava Lowe, Zitong Wang, Phuong Nguyen

Gold key regional entry pieces are automatically considered for national awards in March. The national medalists are rewarded with scholarships, and a ceremony held in New York City celebrates the artists and their educators.

Four PCS senior art students received awards this year. For Isobel Espinor, her two gold keys this year represent years of creating art. She has received 4 gold keys since 8th grade. Her portfolio that received a Gold Key this year includes years of her artwork. Isobel describes her other Gold Key painting “Still Sinking” as a personal piece that communicates her feelings of not feeling ready to graduate high school. It is a depiction of herself as a five year old. Being underwater with a fish reflects her childlike attitude towards life. It took Isobel two weeks, working five hours a day to complete this piece. This talented student who also plays basketball, participates in school drama and musicals, hopes to attend an art college in the field of game art or illustration. Having attended PCS since 3rd grade, she attributes her art teachers, Mrs. Curtis, Mrs. Whitley and Mrs. McLean, as contributing to her artistic growth and continued interest in art.

Vicky Pham and Zitong Wang, international students who’ve attended PCS since 9th grade, will be graduating this year. Vicky who hails from Vietnam says she’s “really learned about art” while at PCS. She would like to study clothing fashion (women wear) and hopes to pursue art in college. Zitong from China has taken art in the past three years; and has found joy and inspiration in art. She will continue to draw and do her favorite medium, pastels, recreationally. Lara Gordon, another senior, joined PCS just this year. An international student from Argentina, Lara has not taken art before and surprised herself by receiving an Honorable Mention for her still life. She beams with pleasure remembering that art teacher Mrs. McLean encouraged her to enter her art piece.

Because the deadline to enter artwork this year was in mid-December before winter break, other students did not have the opportunity to complete and submit their art projects. But there’s always next year!

Artwork of Regional Gold Key Award recipients Exhibition and Awards Ceremony will be virtual. Details will be announced soon.

Congratulations to the following students (in alphabetical order by last name)!

Isobel Espinor (12th grade)
2 Gold Keys
1 Honorable Mention

Still Sinking - oil on canvas by Isobel Espinor