1. What are the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards?
The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards is the longest-running, oldest, and most well-known literary and art competition in the United States, aiming to find creative works and original technical skills by students in grades 7-12. The high school award is a symbol of the pursuit of excellence and will help students stand out in university applications and scholarship applications. Every year, in about 28 art and writing categories, teenagers in grades 7-12 submit more than 330,000 art and writing works.
2. Why You Should Apply for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
Develop Your Portfolio for College Applications
This competition is a perfect opportunity for students to curate their best works and submit them to the competition. The process encourages students to explore outside of their comfort zones, and really create a piece of art or writing that highlights their abilities and skills in their craft. By participating in this competition, regardless of whether you receive an award or not, the work you produced is a testament to your process and should be added to your portfolio to be considered when applying for college applications.
Receive feedback for your portfolio
This is also a unique opportunity to receive valuable feedback from parents, teachers and professionals in the field to further refine your work. When you submit your work to the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, it undergoes evaluation by a panel of experienced and accomplished judges. They will be giving you objective insights and highlight aspects that need further work to further advance your creative development. Beyond the Scholastic judging panel, your parents and teachers can also offer valuable feedback. Their insights and support can provide a different perspective on your creative work, helping you refine your skills and approach. Parents and teachers can act as a source of encouragement and guidance, fostering your artistic development.
Receive Scholarships and Awards
This competition offers the opportunity to earn recognition through awards, exhibitions, publications and scholarships. In addition to national awards, students will also be qualified for American Voices Award (Writing categories) and American Visions Award (Art categories), which recognizes talents from each region of the Scholastic Awards. National Medalists will have their work exhibited in New York and Washington, D.C, and various other states. Selected student work will also be highlighted in the annual art catalog and writing anthology publications, and Yearbook, a magazine that features the names of this year’s scholarship winners as well as every National Medalist. Lastly, national medalists are eligible for scholarships up to $12,500.
The recognition and financial support are intended to support students in furthering their artistic and writing skills in the future.
Valuable Opportunities to Network and Advance In College
By participating in the award competition, you will gain access to a community of like-minded artists and writers through events, exhibitions, and workshops. They can be peers, mentors, or industry professionals who can provide valuable advice and feedback, and introduce students to related opportunities to participate and collaborate with.
Join the alumni association and listen to incredible keynote speakers
One of the hidden gems of being recognized as a Scholastic Art and Writing Awards winner is the lifelong membership in the esteemed Alumni association. This association serves as a dynamic network that connects you with a community of talented individuals who have also been honored for their creative achievements. Alumni gain access to a wealth of valuable resources and opportunities that can shape your future artistic endeavors and career. Additionally, they are invited to listen to each year’s keynote speaker for the winners, which has in the past included influential people like Oprah Winfrey, whose insights and wisdom can leave a lasting impact on artists and writers of all ages and experience levels.
3. Scholastic Art and Writing Awards 2023 Deadline
The nation-wide award starts to receive entries from September until December and January, depending on the regions. To enter, students need to create an account and upload their portfolio. Entry fees are $10 per individual entry and $30 per portfolio.
Regional Deadlines
| State | Writing Category | Art Category |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2023/12/14 | 2023/12/5 |
| Alaska | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/24 |
| Arizona | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/5 |
| Alaska | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/24 |
| Arkansas | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/6 |
| California | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/5 |
| Colorado | 2023/12/5 | 2023/1/9 |
| Connecticut | 2023/1/5 | 2023/12/13 |
| Delaware | 2023/12/8 | 2024/1/4 |
| Florida | 2023/12/1 | 2023/12/1 |
| Georgia | 2023/12/18 | 2023/12/18 |
| Hawaii | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/16 |
| Idaho | 2023/12/1 | 2023/12/5 |
| Illinois | 2023/12/1 | 2023/12/22 |
| Indiana | 2023/12/1 | 2023/12/22 |
| Iowa | 2023/12/1 | 2023/12/1 |
| Kansas | 2023/12/1 | 2023/12/8 |
| Kentucky | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/1 |
| Louisiana | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/5 |
| Maine | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/12 |
| Massachusetts | 2023/12/8 | 2023/12/8 |
| Michigan | 2023/12/1 | 2023/12/8 |
| Minnesota | 2023/12/8 | 2023/12/9 |
| Mississippi | 2023/12/15 | 2023/12/16 |
| Missouri | 2024/1/5 | 2023/12/12 |
| Montana | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/5 |
| Nebraska | 2023/12/15 | 2023/12/16 |
| Nevada | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/14 |
| New Hampshire | 2023/12/1 | 2023/12/15 |
| New Jersey | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/16 |
| New Mexico | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/8 |
| New York | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/5 |
| North Caroline | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/13 |
| North Dakota | 2023/12/21 | 2023/12/1 |
| Ohio | 2023/12/1 | 2023/12/15 |
| Oklahoma | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/5 |
| Oregon | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/5 |
| Pennsylvania | 2023/12/13 | 2023/12/13 |
| Rhode Island | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/5 |
| South Carolina | 2023/12/18 | 2023/12/18 |
| South Dakota | 2023/12/16 | 2023/12/15 |
| Tennessee | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/17 |
| Texas | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/5 |
| Utah | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/5 |
| Vermont | 2023/12/18 | 2023/12/18 |
| Virginia | 2023/12/5 | 2024/1/4 |
| Washington | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/5 |
| West Virginia | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/5 |
| Wisconsin | 2023/12/21 | 2023/12/15 |
| Wyoming | 2023/12/1 | 2023/12/5 |
| Washington, DC | 2023/12/11 | 2023/12/5 |
| Canada | 2023/12/5 | 2023/12/5 |
4. Scholastic Art and Writing Awards 2023 Winners
The national medalists can be found on the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards website.
5. How can I stand out in the Scholastic Art & Writing Award?
We have gathered some suggestions and tips for students who are interested in this award:
- Be original
A key aspect emphasized in the judging criteria is originality, which implies that the work submitted by students should be unique and not copied from other sources. Students participating in the writing category can utilize platforms like Turnitin or Grammarly to help ensure originality.
- Prepare your technical skills
Art: To succeed in art creation, students need strong technical skills. These skills include knowledge of materials, composition, and anatomy. Choosing the appropriate materials and understanding composition rules are important. For human-focused art, understanding the human body’s structure and proportions is crucial. Drawing techniques, such as varied line weights and light contours, add depth to artwork. Proportional accuracy and creating a sense of perspective are also important. Understanding color, light, and shadow is vital, as it affects the overall impact of the artwork. Mastering color mixing and utilizing light and shadow effectively can greatly enhance artistic outcomes. Overall, demonstrating your knowledge of foundational art skills and principles, and then going beyond them will help your work stand out, regardless of what medium you choose.
For more information, visit our Complete Guide to The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
Writing: Great writers differentiate themselves from mediocre ones through their research, planning, and editing skills. Researching enables students to find valuable information and sources, while planning helps in creating a well-structured piece with a logical flow. Editing, even with basic skills, enhances clarity and overall quality.
For more information, visit our Complete Guide to The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
- Authentic voice/vision
Aralia Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Preparation
If you are interested in participating in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, consider joining Aralia Writing Competition Prep program, a small group online class that aims to show students a range of tools to learn the nuances of controlled, purposeful writing, including figurative language, effective structuring, and specific forms they will apply to their own pieces. Students will work directly with literary and media texts as they plan and write their own. This class will help students write with purpose and for an audience as they produce pieces for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.
Students in grades 8-12 wanting to learn how to shape their written English into effective and publishable creative pieces will find this particular Creative Writing course very exciting. The class will be shown a range of tools to learn the nuances of controlled, purposeful writing, including: figurative language, effective structuring and specific forms that they will apply to their own pieces. Students will work directly with both literary and media texts as they plan and write their own. Through the rigorous process of planning, writing, work- shopping, re-shaping and work-shopping again, students will refine their skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Their final portfolios will be a catalog of imaginative, thoughtful work. In addition to Scholastic, and with the guidance of their teacher, students will be encouraged to source their own competitions and publications for further submission and publishing opportunities.
