DC Writing Region of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
April 21st, 2024
UCD Theater of the Arts
4200 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC
About The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
Founded in 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards has served for over one hundred years as the nation’s longest-running, largest, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens, and the largest source of scholarships for young artists and writers. The Awards are administered nationally by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers and locally through partnerships with regional affiliates.
The DC Metro Writing Region of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is administered through a partnership with Writopia Lab, and serves communities in the District of Columbia, northern Virginia, and southern Maryland.
This year, teens from public, private, or home schools throughout America submitted more than 300,000 original works to the Awards’ 29 categories of art and writing. The DC Metro Writing Region received over 2,500 writing submissions and awarded 491 teens a total of 110 Gold Keys, 258 Silver Keys, and 482 Honorable Mentions. All Gold Keys have gone on to further adjudication at the national level. National honors will be announced on the artandwriting.org website on Wednesday, June 12th, 2024.
Submissions to the Awards are adjudicated blindly—jurors do not know the identity of student artists or authors. Jurors look for works that exemplify the Awards’ core values: originality, technical skill, and the emergence of personal voice.
The growing list of accomplished young writers recognized by The Awards has included Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Robert Redford, Joyce Carol Oates, and Lena Dunham. Outside the arts, Awards alumni employ their creativity to become successful in any number of ways—leaders in fields including journalism, medicine, finance, government and public service, the law, science, design, and more.
About Writopia Lab
Founded in 2007 as a 501(c)3 non-profit, Writopia Lab fosters joy, literacy, and critical thinking in children and teens from all backgrounds through creative writing.
Every day at Writopia Lab, we witness the transformative power of being heard. Because of this experience, we are dedicated to giving teen writers the opportunity to be read—and celebrated—as part of the broader literary community. To help make this possible, we administer the DC Metro Writing Region of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Writopia Lab coordinates submissions, organizes the adjudication, and presents the Awards Ceremony for regional recipients.
Writopia Lab is a nationwide community of young writers that runs school-year and summer programs at locations in the metropolitan regions of New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area—as well as online and in-person programming throughout the United States and abroad. For more information about Writopia Lab’s programs, please visit WritopiaLab.org.
American Voices Nominees
Each year five American Voices Nominees are selected from the DC Writing Region to exemplify originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice. During the national re-adjudication of all regional Gold Key works, the region’s American Voices medal recipient will be chosen from among these nominees.
Dylan Furbay, for “Man, Monster, Man-Monster: Masculinity” (Critical Essay)
Lily Scheckner, for My Backseat Baby: or, My Last Name (Poetry)
Chelsea Zhu, for Song of Survival (Poetry)
Aileen Zhao, for “Robot Girl” (Science Fiction & Fantasy) & Everyone You’ve Ever Kissed Up To Now (Poetry)
The ArtsFairfax Scholarship
ArtsFairfax is proud to present a $1,500 scholarship to a senior in Fairfax County whose poetry received recognition in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
Aileen Zhao, for “Oh Transcendental Youth We’re Really In it Now” (Poetry)
Our Opening Dancers
The CityDance Studios Dance Team is for students ages 10-18 who wish to commit additional time and energy towards weekend rehearsals and performance opportunities. Learn more about our program at citydance.net/studios.
Special Thanks
To our keynote speaker: Jordan K. Casomar.
To our esteemed jurors, for providing their valuable time and expertise.
To Writopia Lab’s volunteer staff, interns, and student families.
To Hope Cagle at ArtsFairfax and Danielle Badra, the Poet Laureate of Fairfax County, for their ongoing and generous support of young writers in Northern Virginia. ArtsFairfax is the designated local arts agency for Fairfax County. Funding for the ArtsFairfax Scholarship comes from the Howard Uphoff bequest fund. Each year, ArtsFairfax offers scholarships to high school seniors in multiple arts disciplines through community partnerships.
Our Keynote Speaker
Jordan K. Casomar is a prose writer from West Des Moines, Iowa. He holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of Minnesota. He was selected for a MacDowell Fellowship in fall 2021, was the runner-up for the Pinch’s Spring 2018 Literary Awards in Creative Nonfiction, received a Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative grant in 2017, and is an alum of the Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation workshop for BIPOC writers. Jordan's essays have appeared in Catapult, Kenyon Review, Kweli Journal, and elsewhere. His debut novel, How to Lose a Best Friend is forthcoming from MTV Books in September 2024. He lives in Washington, DC, with his wife, their son, and their two cats, and works as a professional Dungeon Master and creative writing instructor for teens. Visit JordanKCasomar.com.
The Recipients
Gold Key Recipients
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Irene Adesugba Asha Akkinepally Ava Barcelona Zoe Becker Laura Bell Aigerim Bibol Elsa Boehm Gaargi Bora Dava Boyce George Chang Maggie Chen Nell Choi Elena Davis Navin Desai Keira Distaso Emily Dong Stephanie Dragoi Elana Ernst Bryanna Farris Dylan Furbay Zexuan Gao Ariya Harrington Ava Heydarian Gabe Horowitz ANDREW HWANG Grace Im Riva Jain Sanjana Jain Emily Jia Cindy Jin Colette Kendrick Eileen Kim Grace Kim Harold Kim Jennifer Kim Katie Kim Ryan Kim Nicola Lauren Chloe Lee Jayden Lee Stella Lee |
Charlotte Lieu Michelle Lin Yanling Lin Naomi Ling Andrew Lohman Nyah Magsino Aliyah Majeed-Hall Nick Marino Ryhanna Mbakop Norah McCormick Arai Nazarova Ella Newton Marie Paukstitus Tara Prakash Harry Reis Yosis Rosen Laura Roth Lily Scheckner Rachel Schneider Sandi Schneider Fenley Scurlock Renee Shi Ayan Sudheer Tiffany Tang Caitlin Toop Alaina Walker Cynthea Wang Venita Wang Sophia Werthmuller Dorothy Woods Eileen Wu Mengtong Xiang Anthony Xu Catherine Yang Esther Yi Hannah You Eric Zhang Laura Zhang Aileen Zhao Chelsea Zhu Kai Zou |
Silver Key Recipients
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Irene Adesugba Elizabeth Ahn Emilie Allen Sophia Anderson Carmen Ashworth Sosena Audain Adi Bala Frederick Bao Ava Barcelona Anna Belber Olivia Berman Aigerim Bibol Elsa Boehm Nomi Bortnick Isabella Cai Anna Callender Sophia Campbell George Chang Aaron Chen Estelle Chen Maggie Chen Aiden Cheng Eesha Cherukuri Taylor Chilton Crystal Cho Ivory Cho Wujin Cho Finn Cho-McCall Chloe Choi Danielle Choi Elizabeth Choi Ashley Chon Thanisha Chowdhury Laura Civillico Henry Cohen Tuan Dang Haley Dao Elena Davis Navin Desai Allison Deutsch Mia Dimina Stephanie Dragoi Kathryn Duvall Ellie Earl Kathryn Earwood Elana Ernst Izzy Fandl Rahm Fishman Jessica Fu Annie Gao Raina Gao Shrishti Ghosh Jacqueline Gibson Breanne Graham Mehkye Graham Eliana Green Elizabeth Greene Sophia Guo Viktor Hall Hannah Han Ariya Harrington Sofia Hemmens Zinedine Herst Karrie Hu Milla Hébert Riva Jain Zora Jakes Savannah Jarrett Joy Jiang Arin Kim Brandon Kim Claire Kim Kate Kim Liana Kim Sigrid Kim Siyoon Kim Siyoon (Alice) Kim Aisley Kligge Arielle Kouyoumdjian Cleo Kraske Lilah Grace Kresse Zack Lam Yaya Lan Phoebe Lau Chloe Lee Eunice Lee Hannah Lee Joshua Lee Naomi Lee Theodore Lee Sophia Lekeufack Sarah Li Gloria Liang William Liao Yanling Lin Naomi Ling Hannah Liu Sabrina Lu |
Amelia Lupi-Sher Aamnah Malik Nick Marino Lucine Matevosyan Daisy Maxwell Aakanksha Mazumdar Ryhanna Mbakop Louie Merriam Cierra Min Kyler Min Max Min Inayah Mirza Reese Mitchell Mitchell Austin Moon Amy Nam Anya Nehra Leia Neilson Ella Newton Eliana Ng Xuanqi Ni Ryan Odom Isabella Oh Justine Olson Amanda-Pearl Omoigui Keira Oostburg Gloria Owolabi Gabriela Pabon Zoey Pagotto Kailey Park Arushi Pathak
Marie Paukstitus Hui'er Peng Harini Prabhu Tara Prakash Ishan Puri Anshi Purohit Giovanni Qiao Avi Qin Indra Ranjan Hailey Rheingans Maxwell Roberson Yossi Eun-Chong Rosen Annalise Ross Anna Rosu Aidan Rwabwogo Hana Sakr Helina Samson Ivy Sand Yahney-Marie Sangare Aishani Satia Megan Sawant Lily Scheckner Ella Schneider Rachel Schneider Sandi Schneider Anika Shah Aarush Shekhawat Ben Shelsby Renee Shi Haohan Sima Yeonseo Sohn Eshaan Sombhatta Caleb Son Hang Su Amelia Taylor Helen Teddy Jonathan Thibault Jian Tian Caitlin Toop Mia Tran-Luu Crow Turner Sophia Tzvetanov Jennifer Wan Chang Wang Cynthea Wang Katherine Wang Natalie Wang Sophia Wang Venita Wang Olivia Wei Elliott Weis Natalie Weis Claire Xu Fei'er Yang Alicia Yau Hannah Yim Max Yoon Grace Yuan Maira Zaidi Elaine Zhang Laura Zhang Selena Zhang Aileen Zhao Brian Zhou Chelsea Zhu |
Honorable Mention Recipients
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Irene Adesugba Elizabeth Ahn Samara Alazar Soa Andriamananjara Annika Aneja Anisa Anjum Noe Antoine Aliza Asad Sosena Audain Hyun Been Bae Tara Bansal Allie Barbieri Ava Barcelona Nicola Beaumont Zoe Becker Anna Belber Wyatt Bell Erika Yael Bennett Lucy Berry Zoey Betz Rhea Bhadange Aigerim Bibol Nevie Billis Helene Black Ariana Blake Anthony Boghosian Konstantina Boules Imogen Bownas Grace Brady Caitlin Brickley Ellen Bu Isabella Cai Vivian Cai Mason Cameron Josephine Campbell David Cao Kara Caulfield George Chang Evelyn Chao Aaron Chen Melody Chen April Cheng Eesha Cherukuri Taylor Chilton Nidhi Chinthakindi Chloe Choi Danielle Choi Nell Choi Thanisha Chowdhury Zobaida Chowdhury Connor Chun Henry Cohen Kathryn Contaoi ShepsMetcherta Cook Isabel Corbett Nia Cuencas-Muhammad Sulayman Cusicanqui JohnPaul D'Andrea Van Damiani Haley Dao Kobe Dao Elena Davis Lily Dezfulian Sahaj Dhillon Keira Distaso Emily Dong Rabira Dosho Elinor Duwan Ellie Earl Shannon Edwards Kamgharida Ejiogu Sefanit Equbazge Elana Ernst Miriam Fabrycky Yijin Fang Naba Farooqui Bryanna Farris Owen Fath Kaiwen Feng Lilly Fernandez Rahm Fishman Lucas Flaherty Aleksandra Foss Michaela Frey Christelle Fru Lingchang Fu Dylan Furbay Cynthia Gabron Noble Garcia Isla Gardner Gwyneth Gibson Julia Goldenberg Arabella Gong Tracy Gong Ananya Govind Eliana Green Elise Green Amy Gu Chen Guan Mahilan Guha Claire Guo Ryan Guo Viktor Hall Hannah Han Luke Han Mary Han Jennie-Kate Hannis Max Haussermann Ella Haynes Megan Holmes Lily Hood Andrew Huang Aaron Hwang Emily Ingeneri Nina Isles Riva Jain Savannah Jarrett Chloe Jeong Danna Jia Joy Jiang Chenming Jin Leo Johnson Sophia Johnston Charlotte Jones Anais Joubert Safinabonu Juraeva Daniel Kalinsky Alexander Kasher Gabrielle Katz Japneet Kaur John Kelly O. Kershaw Rory Ketzle Rohini Kieffer Brandon Kim Charissa Kim Ian Kim Jennifer Kim Kate Kim Katie Kim Lauren Kim Liana Kim Rayna Kim Sigrid Kim Sydney King Arielle Kouyoumdjian Jennifer Ku Neharika Kumar Yale Kwon nadia lach-hab Zack Lam Isabella Langlee Alice Lee Alvin Lee Charlotte Lee Chloe Lee DoWon Lee Jayden Lee Jiwoo Lee JoonWon Lee Joshua Lee Keira Lee Kiwon Lee Naomi Lee Theodore Lee Elana Leichty Sophia Lekeufack Myla Leung Adam Levine |
Benjamin Levine Amber Li Audrey Li Brian Li Chengxi Li Isabel Li Selena Li Yanrong Li Ziru Li William Liao Jason Liaw Alexis (Micah) Liebert Ruchel Limbos Marina Lin Yanling Lin Naomi Ling Aimee Liu Cassie Liu Claire Liu Hannah Liu Charlotte Long Colin Loughlin Jordan Loy Ashvik mahapatra Nick Marino Charlize Martin Robby Matsui Ryhanna Mbakop Ajani Miller Cierra Min Kyler Min Ella Montgomery Lauren Montgomery Austin Moon Eleanor Murphy Fatmata Musa Gaby Muse Vivian Mutz Josephine Nackman Isabelle Nam Matthew Nam Amaya Neravanda Mai-Anh Nguyen Isaac Ning Gabriel O'Toole Isabella Oh Iris Ou Gabriela Pabon Gianna Park Kailey Park Marie Paukstitus Martha Pendle Hui'er Peng Sarah Perry Olivia Phelps Izabella Piatkowski Renata Podlesny Nicole Pokharel Riya Prabhu Siddharth Prakash Tara Prakash Alexandra Price Ishan Puri Avi Qin Grayson Quigley Ojasvi Ramani Sophia Ramirez-Jam Viraaj Raofield Amali Raz Sophia Ren Claire Rhee Mia Rilette River River Maxwell Roberson Yossi Eun-Chong Rosen Peyton Rydzewski Ramya Sahu Abby Salkind-Foraker Helina Samson Ivy Sand Yahney-Marie Sangare aneri sanghani Megan Sawant Jack Scandling Lily Scheckner Ella Schneider Rachel Schneider Sandi Schneider Kai Schropfer Fenley Scurlock Paper Sewoniku Renee Shi Aarya Shrestha Buddy Sleighter Alexandria Small Juniper Sohn Calvin Song Changze Song Samuel Stankiewicz Isabella Steenburgh Saffron Stevens Arielle Stopak Max Stumpf Lizzie Sun Emily Tarazi Amelia Taylor Zsuzsa Teleki Henry Terrell Alexis Tew Ashley Thompson Yushan Tian Teniola Tobun Harper Trail Mia Tran-Luu Rachel Truong Anastasia Tyrka Asha Vatave Sasha Vaughan Mary Vedaa Gauri Vellanoore Gabi Vintro Yusra Wahedi Jennifer Wan Jiayi Wang Sophia Wang ZIRUI WANG Olivia Wei Charlotte Weingart Parker Weinstein Natalie Weis Em Weiss Emily Weiss Annikah Westrom Chase Whitaker Sophie Wilson Adeleine Wolff Brady Woodhouse Dorothy Woods Grace Wu Olivia Wu Kevin Xia Runmin Xiang Harry Xiao Allison Xu Claire Xu Minna Xu Mengxin Yang Esther Yi Hannah You Jason Youm Justin Yu Matteo Yu Zhenze Yu Grace Yuan Jocelyn Yuan Aaron Zevin-Lopez Elaine Zhang Eric Zhang Ivy Zhang Megan Zhang Aileen Zhao Olivia Zhao Brian Zhou Zoila Zhou-Castro Chelsea Zhu Eric Zou Jiayue Zou Kai Zou |
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