Being recognized by the Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards is certainly no small feat.

This year, the organization received over 300,000 submissions and distributed approximately 40,000 regional awards. Of these, over 30 were achieved by HHS students.

Known as “the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens,” this annual competition highlights the art and writing of youth across the country. 

For creative writing teacher Amy Marchino, this competition ranks among the most meaningful parts of each school year. She has helped students submit their work for five years now and has been able to witness the growth of Homewood writing firsthand. 

“The Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards are important to me as an educator,” she said. “They allow students to have the experience of putting something out into the world and anticipating the outcome… those opportunities shape us as humans.”

For senior Maddie Cobb, the opportunities provided by this competition have encouraged her to share her writing with others. A third year creative writing student, Cobb’s participation in the Awards has led her to build a confidence in her craft that will last a lifetime.

“Scholastic is the first real competition I ever submitted my work to,” she recalled. “Writing fiction had always been a personal thing for me, so [this] was a huge deal for me as a young writer.”

As co-president of the Creative Writing Club, Cobb is now transforming her love for writing into a vessel to bring others into the community. Each week, she leads a group of HHS students in writing exercises such as prompts and workshops. 

Among these is senior Cameron Allen, a first-year competitor who received multiple accolades in this year’s Awards. Not only did her submissions bring home two silver keys, but she was also awarded an Honorable Mention in the Poetry category. 

“As young writers, it’s crucial for us to get some form of affirmation,” she said. “I know it will encourage me to keep on writing, even if it’s just for myself.”

In addition to those recognized for writing, HHS also had multiple students receive accolades for their artwork. Among these is senior Maddie Roberts, who received a Silver Key for her digital art. A second year AP Photography student, this was one of her first submissions to Scholastic.

“It’s really meaningful to be noticed as an artist,” she reflected. “It’s easy to be hyper-critical toward your own art, but being recognized makes me content that my work is enough.”

Students who received Gold Keys at the regional level will now move on to national competition. In this round, submissions will be considered for Silver or Gold National Medals, which will be announced in late March. Recipients of national medals will then have the opportunity to travel to New York City for an award ceremony in Carnegie Hall.

Senior Abbey Quinn was awarded two Gold Keys in this year’s competition, one for poetry and the other in the Personal Essay & Memoir category. A student in Marchino’s Creative Writing III class, Quinn is passionate about writing and is thrilled to receive these honors.

“I think it’s great that we have this kind of opportunity for writers,” she said. “It’s very rewarding to have that hard work pay off, and I look forward to this competition further encouraging writers at Homewood.”