Seven students from Downers Grove North High and Downers Grove South High School have received national medals in the 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition. Of the 320,000 works of art and writing submitted, 2,400 were awarded medals at the national level; 100 medals were awarded to Illinois students.
South High students Claire Pikul and Alessandra Lane are National Scholastic Art Medalists
North High students Angela Wong, Jessica Novotny, Aubrey Saha, Olivia Wojciak and Emma Wilson are National Scholastic Art Medalists
The following students received national medals in the 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards:
- Alessandra Lane, South High (Silver Medal) – photography category “Hidden” Teacher: Michelle Lynn
- Jessica Novotny, North High (Silver Medal) - photography category “Cinched” Teacher: Megan Kelly
- Claire Pikul, South High (Gold Medal) – digital art category “Paper Chase” Teacher: Michelle Lynn
- Claire Pikul, South High (Gold Medal) – digital art category “Struck” Teacher: Michelle Lynn
- Aubrey Saha, North High (Gold Medal) - drawing and illustration category “Am I Pretty?” Teacher: Marty Voelker
- Emma Wilson, North High (Silver Medal) – poetry category “On Flight” Teacher: John Waite
- Olivia Wojciak, North High (Silver Medal) - ceramics and glass category “Bubbles” Teacher: Leslie Miller
- Angela Wong, North High (Silver Medal) - ceramics and glass category “Sapphire Treatment” Teacher: Megan Kelly
See art work below
Receiving a national medal from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards places student artists within the top one percent of all submissions from a national pool of art work, and student work will be in exhibition at Carnegie Hall in New York, New York this summer.
“Emma’s poetry is mature and mysterious. It demands to be reread, each time yielding new insights and surprises. I am not surprised that Emma received this recognition,” says John Waite, an English teacher and National Board Certified Teacher at North High.
"Earning a national award from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards is the pinnacle of success for a high school artist," said Fine Arts department chairman Glenn Williams. "We are extremely proud of Claire and Alessandra and their mentor teacher, Michelle Lynn, for earning this recognition at a national level."
"Both Claire and Alessandra are extremely talented and work extremely hard on a daily basis." said mentor teacher Michelle Lynn. "These pieces were selected from a national pool of student work and are deserving of these awards."
Fine Arts Department Chairperson Brayer Teague shared, "We are extremely proud of Jessica, Aubrey, Olivia and Angela. This national recognition is a significant affirmation of their dedication to the arts, and their creative talents."
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious award and recognition program for creative teens. For more information, visit www.artandwriting.org.
"Struck" - Claire Pikul, artist. National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Gold Medal Winner
"Am I Pretty?" - Aubrey Saha, artist. National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Gold Medal Winner
"Paper Chase" - Claire Pikul, artist. National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Gold Medal Winner
"Cinched" - Jessica Novotny, artist. National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards - Silver Medal Winner
"Bubbles" - Olivia Wojciak, artist. National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards - Silver Medal Winner
"Hidden" - Alessandra Lane, artist. National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards - Silver Medal Winner
"Sapphire Treatment" - Angela Wong, artist. National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards - Silver Medal Winner
- Emma Wilson, North High (Silver Medal) – poetry category “On Flight”
"On Flight"
Emma Wilson
i. Sasakia Charonda
the wings of the japanese emperor are blue and
in his hands is the kind of weapon you always wish
you knew how to use
his clean white spots shine from through seven decades
and one antenna is crooked, bent, from use
or misuse. his hat sits quietly, draped with honor and
flowered polyester
in the same shade of innocent
as his military jacket.
what kind of uniform is mullerian mimicry
with its medals and its stripes
if it cannot save you?
ii. How to Fall in Love
forgive the ties that bind you
ignore the hot static that curls
around your belly at the sight (don’t move)
of anything
and jump
she tells you this in secret, and you know she is right.
iii. 26 Julio
everyone knows that one culture
is not enough for a growing girl
and that havana’s candy-coated, tile-lined streets
must also account for your new hips,
strong and uncompromising through your skirts
embroidered with love and sunday’s fresh coffee.
you crown your hair with comino and cilantro fresh from the supermarket showers
as if to say that one thing leads to another
as if to say here are my island genes
the porcelain angels that stand for fresh-dusted lampshades
look at you with the disdain only distant relatives can have.
their wings are like yours, cracked in faded pastel,
and when you see them, you fly.