Two Southern Middle School students won awards in the regional round of the 2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Eighth-grader Everly Brown won a “Gold Key” in the poetry category, and seventh-grader Bryce Butler won a “Silver Key” in the critical essay category. The regional portion of the awards consisted of entries throughout the east coast.
Both students will be recognized for their achievements via an online ceremony and are now eligible to apply for exclusive scholarships toward summer enrichment programs or other educational opportunities. Additionally, Brown will progress to the national competition to determine her eligibility for national awards, additional scholarships, and publication opportunities. She will find out in March if she won a national award.
Butler and Brown join the ranks of the program’s renowned alumni, such as Stephen King, Amanda Gorman, and Joyce Carol Oates.
Founded in 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is “the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens” in grades 7-12. The panel of judges, which consists of luminaries in the arts, looks for work that exemplifies the awards’ core values of originality, skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision. Each year, only about 5% of submissions receive a gold key, 9% of submissions receive a silver key, and 12% of submissions receive an honorable mention. Less than 1% of submissions go on to win a national award.
Photo: Award winners Everly Brown (left) and Bryce Butler.
Courtesy photo/Contributed.
