VSA Students Earn 11 Awards in Scholastic Art & Writing Awards 2023 VSA Future is delighted to announce that our talented writing students took home eleven accolades in the 2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the prestigious national competition that recognizes and supports the creative endeavors of teens across the United States. Among our winners are one Gold Key, two Silver Keys, and eight Honorable mentions. The awards were issued in a wide range of genres, ranging from Personal Essay & Memoir and Critical Essay to Flash Fiction, Poetry, and Short Story. This round of Scholastic entries was particularly notable, as it marked the program’s 100th annual call for entries. Our students joined other young scholars in both the United States and Canada to submit their work for recognition in categories ranging from journalism to poetry in this remarkable centennial. Most of our students competed in the Region-At-Large East Writing. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards were founded in 1923 to encourage and recognize student achievement in the creative arts. Now celebrating its 100th Anniversary, the Scholastic Awards attract over 350,000 entries in 28 categories of writing and the visual arts. Students 13 and older can submit original work across 18 award categories in writing and art. Award selections are based upon originality, skill, and the emergence of personal vision or voice. The Scholastic award winners join the ranks of the awards’ accomplished alumni, which include filmmaker Ken Burns and writer Joyce Carol Oates to novelists John Updike and Stephen King. Other alumni include notable artist Cy Twombly, photographer Richard Avedon, actress Lena Dunham, and many more. Click here to see a full list of notable alumni. The program has for generations launched successful artists, writers, and professionals in a wide variety of industries, with many luminaries attributing their confidence to pursue their careers to the Awards. Since its inception, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have encouraged the passions, talents, and perspectives of millions of teens, validating their creative abilities and the belief that their voices matter. We extend our congratulations to all of this year’s winners! We’re so excited to continue our tradition of cultivating independent and responsible students whose hard work is recognized by achievements such as the Scholastic awards. We welcome the 2023 winners into the VSA fold that already includes multiple Scholastic gold, silver and honorable mention winners from recent years. Some of this year’s winning pieces were shaped through the time our students devoted to their English, Reading & Writing classes, which help learners develop strong, unique essays, hone their critical thinking skills, and foster a love of the written word — all so that they can express themselves confidently on the page. Visit the Kids Corner section on our website to read a selection of Scholastic Award–winning essays, stories, and poems from the 2021, 2022, and 2023 contests. Read below for the full list of VSA winners from the centennial class of medalists for the Scholastic awards: In Personal Essay & Memoir, a VSA 12th grader was recognized with a Gold Key. VSA students across grades 7–12 received four Honorable Mentions in this category. In Flash Fiction, a VSA 10th grader was honored with a Silver Key. In Poetry, a VSA 10th grader received a Silver Key, and a VSA 8th grader was recognized with an Honorable Mention. In Critical Essay, a VSA 10th grader and 12th grader were each recognized with Honorable Mentions. In Short Story, a VSA 8th grader was awarded an Honorable Mention. Interested in learning more about how VSA can help your student succeed as a writer and thinker and gain recognition for their skill and talent? You can find information about our English, Reading & Writing classes here or contact us here.
