The NDSU Red River Valley Writing Project and Plains Art Museum have announced the regional award recipients of the 2021 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Presented by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are the country's longest-running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition program for creative students in grades 7–12.
Gold Key winners in writing:
Flash Fiction
Sumaiyah Alyadumi, Watford City
Critical Essay
Luke Larson, Bismarck
Dramatic Script
Jada Bell, Fargo
Journalism
Emily Jeglum, Crosby
Personal Essay/Memoir
Sierra Schmidt, Valley City
Dylan Quick, Valley City
Poetry (Grades 7-9)
Tirzahh McGill, Bismarck
Poetry (Grades 10-12)
Sunny Parisien, Belcourt
Brigitte Byankuba, Fargo
Science Fiction/Fantasy
Julian Wallette, Belcourt
Short Story (Grades 7-9)
Annika Gaebe, Bismarck
Novel Writing
Vanessa Fischer, Bowman
Short Story (Grades 10-12)
Hannah Buee, Bismarck
Olivia Data, Bismarck
Olivia Drake, Fargo
Emily Jeglum, Crosby
Writing Portfolio
Drake
Gold Key winners in Art:
Photography
Danae Bell, Fargo
Jude Dill, Fargo (two pieces)
Sierra Schmidt, Valley City
Karl Swenson, Kindred (three pieces)
Art Portfolio
Eleanor Berg, Bismarck
Digital Art
Berg
Drawing and Illustration
Dill
Miranda Zeien, Horace
Painting
Gracie Erickstad, Horace
Abigail Meier, Bismarck
Lee Nguyen, West Fargo
Morgan Reeder, Fargo
Zeien
Ceramics and Glass
Avery Moxness, Horace
Mixed Media
Zeien
All Gold Key, Silver Key and Honorable Mention award-winning works will be on display at the Plains Art Museum Starion Gallery from Feb. 2 through March 15. A complete list of writing winners and art winners can be found online.
Due to COVID-19, the 2021 state ceremony is scheduled to take place virtually on Saturday, March 13. All students, educators, judges, families and friends are invited to attend. The winners of NDSU’s new scholarships in art and writing also will be announced at the ceremony.
All Gold Key winners are forwarded for national adjudication. The national winners will be announced on March 17. At this time, the hope is that the national ceremony can take place in-person at Carnegie Hall in New York City on Wednesday, June 9.
Since the program’s founding in 1923, the awards have fostered the creativity and talent of millions of students, including renowned alumni who have gone on to become leaders in their fields, including Andy Warhol, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Philip Pearlstein, and Sylvia Plath. More recently, Stephen King, Richard Linklater, Zac Posen, and Lena Dunham received Scholastic Art and Writing Awards when they were teens. Locally, Laura Youngbird, director of Native American Art at Plains Art Museum, was a Scholastic teen award winner.
A complete list of 2021 regional Scholastic Art and Writing Awards recipients also is available online.