Started in 1923 by Scholastic founder Maurice R. Robinson, the Awards have grown to become the nation’s highest honor and largest source of scholarships for creative teenagers. All students in grades 7-12, whether public, private, or home schooled, are encouraged to apply. Through a nationwide network of more than 100 visual arts and literary arts organizations across the country, the 2023 Awards received more than 300,000 submissions from over 100,000 teens in 28 categories of art and writing.
Across the decades, some young Scholastic winners have included names you’ll recognize: Stephen King, Robert Redford, Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Joyce Carol Oates, John Updike, Bernard Malamud, Ken Burns, Kay Walkingstick, and Amanda Gorman, who read a poem at the 2021 U.S. Presidential inauguration. Most alumni are less famous but no less important, for creativity, imagination, and risk-taking are hallmarks of being fully human.
The Hoosier Writing Project at IUI, with support from the College of Arts and Sciences at Marian University, recognizes regional winners with Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention certificates. In 2023, our region received over 1,600 submissions and gave over 660 awards. Award-winning students were honored at the Regional Visions and Voices Awards Ceremony. Gold Key writing is published in this annual anthology, illustrated with selected Gold Key art.
Submissions receiving a Gold Key are forwarded to the national level of the competition. To see a list of our regional medal winners, visit our regional microsites starting in late March:
For more about the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, visit www.artandwriting.org.