VSA Future Students Shine in the 2025 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards with 60 Writing Awards VSA Future Students Shine in the 2025 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards with 60 Writing AwardsVSA Future proudly celebrates the outstanding achievements of our students in the 2025 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards! After months of dedication and participation in our intensive writing workshops, our students demonstrated remarkable creativity and skill, earning top honors in this prestigious competition.This year, VSA Future students collectively won 60 awards, including 13 Gold Keys, 22 Silver Keys, and 25 Honorable Mentions, showcasing their exceptional storytelling and literary talent. Additionally, from VSA Future there is one nominee for the American Voices Award for national recognition. Each region can nominate only five students to be considered for the national American Voices Award.As one of the nation’s most prestigious competitions for young writers, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards recognize outstanding works from students across various categories, including personal essays, poetry, short stories, and critical writing. Winning these awards is a testament to the skill and hard work our students have put into refining their craft with the support of VSA Future’s dedicated educators.Scholastic Writing & Arts AwardsSince 1923, the Scholastic Writing & Arts Awards have been a hallmark of excellence in creative expression. Past winners include literary greats such as Sylvia Plath, Joyce Carol Oates, and Stephen King. This prestigious competition provides young writers and artists in grades 7-12 with a national platform to showcase their creativity, originality, and technical skill.Among the highest distinctions within the competition is the American Voices Award, which is given to only one nominee per region. This award recognizes the single best piece from an entire body of regional submissions, making it one of the most coveted honors. Being nominated for this award is an extraordinary accomplishment, signifying a student’s exceptional ability to communicate compelling themes, showcase originality, and demonstrate mastery of the written word.How Are Winners Chosen?The Scholastic Writing & Arts Awards follow a rigorous judging process, beginning with regional competitions. Students submit their work in various categories, including poetry, short stories, personal essays, and more. Submissions are reviewed by panels of professional writers, educators, and artists who evaluate works based on originality, technical skill, and personal voice.Gold Key recipients—the highest regional honor—automatically advance to the national level, where their work is considered for national Gold and Silver Medals. Only a fraction of submissions receive this recognition, making Gold Key winners stand out among thousands of young creatives. Silver Key and Honorable Mention awards also highlight notable works, recognizing students whose pieces demonstrate strong potential and artistic merit.VSA Future’s talented young writers hail from New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Georgia, Minnesota, Tennessee, California, Illinois and even Canada, showcasing the far-reaching impact of VSA Future’s educational programs. Their achievements not only highlight individual excellence but also reinforce the importance of developing strong writing skills from an early age.VSA WinnersAmong our distinguished winners are:Gold Key Winner and American Voices Nominee: Zoe Z. (Poetry)Gold Key Winner: Calvin C. (Poetry)Gold Key Winner: Richard D. (Flash Fiction)Gold Key Winner: Ike E. (Short Story)Gold Key Winner: Evelyn F. (Personal Essay)Gold Key Winner: Chloe G. (Personal Essay & Memoir)Gold Key Winner: Sophia H.Gold Key Winner: Adrian L. (Personal Essay & Memoir)Gold Key Winner: Albert T. (Personal Essay & Memoir)Gold Key Winner: Albert T. (Humor)Gold Key Winner: Henry T. (Short Story)Gold Key Winner: Zoe Z. (Personal Essay & Memoir)Gold Key Winner: Alice Z. (Critical Essay)Silver Key Winner: Anna C. (Personal Essay & Memoir)Silver Key Winner: Richard D. (Flash Fiction)Silver Key Winner: Ava D. (Personal Essay & Memoir)Silver Key Winner: Ike E. (Flash Fiction)Silver Key Winner: Chloe G. (Personal Essay & Memoir)Silver Key Winner: Michael J. (Personal Essay & Memoir)Silver Key Winner: Adrian L. (Poetry)Silver Key Winner: Adrian L. (Science Fiction & Fatnasy)Silver Key Winner: Deborah L. (Personal Essay and Memoir)Silver Key Winner: Deborah L. (Poetry)Silver Key Winner: Deborah L. (Poetry)Silver Key Winner: Vivian L. (Critical Essay)Silver Key Winner: Vivian L. (Journalism)Silver Key Winner: Vivian L. (Poetry)Silver Key Winner: Celina R. (Poetry)Silver Key Winner: Henry T. (Flash Fiction)Silver Key Winner: Henry T. (Personal Essay & Memoir)Silver Key Winner: Caden W. (Critical Essay)Silver Key Winner: Isabella W. (Poem)Silver Key Winner: Jeffrey X. (Humor)Silver Key Winner: Kevin Z. (Journalism)Silver Key Winner: Joshua Z. (Journalism)Honorable Mention Winner: Rocco B. (Science Fiction & Fantasy)Honorable Mention Winner: Ike E. (Critical Essay)Honorable Mention Winner: Ike E. (Science Fiction & Fantasy)Honorable Mention Winner: Chloe G. (Personal Essay & Memoir)Honorable Mention Winner: Jiaqi H. (Personal Essay & Memoir)Honorable Mention Winner: Sarah J. (Critical Essay)Honorable Mention Winner: Sarah J. (Science Fiction & Fantasy)Honorable Mention Winner: Connor L. (Critical Essay)Honorable Mention Winner: Nicholas L. (Humor)Honorable Mention Winner: Vivian L. (Short Story)Honorable Mention Winner: Celina R. (Poetry)Honorable Mention Winner: Ashley S. (Critical Essay)Honorable Mention Winner: Albert T. (Critical Essay)Honorable Mention Winner: Albert T. (Humor)Honorable Mention Winner: Caden W. (Personal Essay & Memoir)Honorable Mention Winner: Isabella W. (Poem)Honorable Mention Winner: Jeffrey X. (Personal Essay & Memoir)Honorable Mention Winner: Kailee Xu (Personal Essay)Honorable Mention Winner: Kevin Z. (Humor)Honorable Mention Winner: Lucy Z. (Critical Essay)Honorable Mention Winner: Zoe Z. (Personal Essay & Memoir)Honorable Mention Winner: Gisele Z. (Personal Essay & Memoir)Honorable Mention Winner: Alice Z. (Critical Essay)Honorable Mention Winner: Joshua Z. (Journalism)Honorable Mention Winner: Joshua Z. (Journalism)Throughout 2024, these students participated in rigorous writing workshops, receiving expert instruction and multiple levels of feedback to refine their work. VSA Future’s structured approach, including in-depth critiques and personalized coaching, helped students elevate their writing to award-winning levels.We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and look forward to continuing our tradition of excellence in writing education. Congratulations to all our talented students!To learn more about VSA Future’s writing programs and how we can help aspiring young writers succeed, visit www.vsafuture.com today and call 973-951-9600.
