Many art students at North received awards from the Scholastic Art Competition. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is one of the most prestigious and longest-running awards programs for creative teens in the US. Established for 100 years, the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards is known as the most prestigious National Art Show and has featured artists and writers such as Andy Warhol, Lena Dunham, Kay WalkingStick and Tschabalala Self. Every fall, it opens to participants in the US, US territories and Canada, for students grades 7-12. There are two phases of the awards: regional judging, which for North takes place in the Chicago suburbs, and, depending on the award received, students may advance to national judging alongside other students worldwide who received the same recognition. Many colleges recognize the Scholastic Art Awards for their prestige, and students can receive merit scholarship money based on the awards they receive.
To prepare North’s students for the competition, art teachers introduce students at North to the awards in November. The competition has been going for 100 years, but students at North have been doing this show for over a decade. The judging for student artwork is based on technical skill and conceptual work, with many different art and writing categories.
North students were successful in this competition.
“This year we had 17 students be recognized, amassing 51 awards,” said Stephanie Dodd, head of North’s art department.
This year has been their most successful year, with each coming year having more students who participate, and therefore more awards given.
“Last year we had 40 works in the show, and this year with 51 has been the most,” said Dodd.
Dodd expresses her excitement for the winning students at North, recognizing two stand-out senior students this year: Gianna Hillebrenner and Simone Wright.
“Both [won] 12 awards, accounting for almost half of the school awards [North] won,” said Dodd.
Students can get a lot of recognition at the show. Hillebrenner, who won many awards in the competition, has participated in the show all four years of high school. Last year, Gianna won two gold keys and two silver keys. The keys are given to students with winning artworks, with gold keys being the most prestigious. This year, she won six gold keys, two silver keys, four honorable mentions and a silver portfolio. For her media, she uses mostly colored pencils, but for her 3D pieces, she uses things like balsa wood, cardboard, and chipboard. Hillbrennernow plans on attending the University of Kansas and majoring in industrial design. She wants to “design medical devices and therapy toys for pediatric patients.”
The Scholastic Art Show has been big for art students at North, with more winners year after year. Dodd hopes that North will continue to have students excited to join the show, with each year having a student win a National Award with their work permanently displayed in the art hallway at North.
“[I hope] to keep adding to this collection for the students at North to see,” said Dodd.
Gianna Hillebrenner advises students who wish to excel in art competitions on what to do.
“Practice every day, and if you see a competition, enter it…even if you think you’re not going to get anything like you should still try, because it’s always worth it.”
The Scholastic Art Show has brought opportunities to students to showcase their talents. With big hopes for the future of North’s excelling art students, there is seen to be an even brighter and successful future.
“Even if you are not planning a career in the arts, it’s always great to be recognized for something that you are good at,” said Dodd.
