Andover Students Win Art, Writing Awards

From Andover Schools: Three Andover Public Schools students are being honored by the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for their artwork. Andover High School senior Audrey Gallacher received two national gold medals and a silver medal for her works in the Drawing and Illustration category. Andover High School junior Dake Zhang received a gold medal in the Painting category. West Middle School’s Jessica Xu also received a silver medal in the Drawing and Illustration category.

As a double Gold Medalist, Audrey will travel to Carnegie Hall in New York City in June to show her drawings, Sisterhood and Judgment, and attend the national celebration ceremony. She received a silver medal for her piece Sublimation. Upon graduation from AHS in the spring, Audrey plans to major in Fine Art/ Illustration at the Art Institute of Chicago. “It is a rare accomplishment for high school students across the U.S. to receive gold and silver medals for their work,” notes Jessica Daviso, art teacher at Andover High School. “We are very proud of Audrey’s accomplishments.” Andover High School junior Dake Zhang also received a gold medal for his painting, American Boyfriend. West Middle School eighth-grader Jessica Xu received the silver medal for her piece, Born to Fly High, in the Drawing and Illustration category.
“It’s an honor for our students to be recognized on a national level,” adds Superintendent Sheldon Berman. “Visual and literary arts programs provide our students with the opportunity of self-expression, and these awards celebrate their talents.”

“To all our students who have received Scholastic awards, congratulations and thank you for the honor you have brought to Andover Public Schools,” says Beth Delforge, Visual & Performing Arts Coordinator. “To receive a national Scholastic Art or Writing Award is a highly prestigious personal honor. We celebrate you!”

Since 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have recognized the vision, ingenuity, and talent of young artists, and provide opportunities for creative teens to be celebrated. Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. Each year, the Alliance partners with more than 100 visual arts and literary arts organizations across the country to bring the Scholastic Awards to local communities. Teens in grades 7–12 (ages 13 and up) apply in 29 categories of art and writing. In 2019, students submitted nearly 340,000 works of art and writing to the Scholastic Awards. Submissions are juried by luminaries in the visual and literary arts, some of whom are past award recipients. Panelists look for works that best exemplify originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision.

Students receiving Gold Keys, Silver Keys, Honorable Mentions, or American Voices & Visions Nominations are celebrated within their communities through local exhibitions and ceremonies. National Medalists are recognized in part at the National Ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City.