4 District 99 Students Honored With 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Four Community High School District 99 students were honored with 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards from the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers.

The students' work was chosen from among 110,000 submissions from students throughout the U.S. and Canada.

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Ananya Kharat, a senior at Downers Grove South High School, received a Gold Medal Portfolio Award for writing. Kharat, who will receive a $12,500 scholarship with the honor, was one of just eight students selected for the honor from more than 700 submissions.

Three visual artists received medals. These include:

• Downers South Senior Aili Flannery, who earned a gold medal for a sculpture work called "Process."
• Downers North Senior Isaac Janusauskas, who earned a silver medal for a jewelry piece entitled "“Where Did the Time Go?"
• Downers North Senior Dashiell Speir, who was awarded a silver medal for a drawing entitled “Frenzied Whit."

The 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards National Ceremony is scheduled for June 10 at Carnegie Hall in New York City.