2019 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards State Ceremony

On Saturday, March 9th, the Plains Art Museum hosted the 2019 2019 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards of North Dakota in partnership with Plains Art Museum. Unfortunately, a big winter storm with heavy snowfall made it hard for people to get to the event. Those who arrived the day before had the easiest time traveling. There was still a sizable crowd at the event, and spirits were high with the sounds of the Boppin' Jazz Quartet playing in the Atrium.

Kelly Sassi greeted educators and judges. Kim Rensch and Olivia Edwardson greeted students.

Enrico Sassi took on the role of preparing students for their moment on stage, filling the
large shoes of Hannah Andring and David St. Peter, who have faithfully served in this volunteer role for several years.

Students had their photos taken by NDSU student Guo Chen and created their own nametags in the presentation center while their families enjoyed refreshments served by NDSU Communications student Shweta Sharma and Sigma Tau Delta volunteers Kayla, Alex and Isaac.

From 5:30 to 6:30, student award winners, their families, their friends, and their teachers visited the gallery on the second floor and enjoyed music and food on the first floor.

Everyone was glad to be out of the storm and not think about snow for awhile. In the gallery, visitors viewed the award-winning artwork and read the award-winning writing, which was represented in vinyl on the wall, on ipads, in the hard copies of the anthology, and in video on the wall. 

The ceremony started at 6:30. Andy Maus, the Director and CEO of Plains Art Museum welcomed everyone to the event.

Kelly Sassi spoke about the background of the Awards. Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the country's longest-running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition program for creative students in grades 7–12. This program year, over 350,000 works of art and writing were submitted to more than 100 Affiliate Partners across the country. In North Dakota, 417 works were submitted and 118 received regional honors, including Gold Keys, Silver Keys, Honorable Mentions, or American Visions & Voices nominations. 

Since the program’s founding in 1923, the Awards have fostered the creativity and talent of millions of students, including renowned alumni who have gone on to become leaders in their fields, including Andy Warhol, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Philip Pearlstein, and Sylvia Plath. More recently, Stephen King, Richard Linklater, Zac Posen, and Lena Dunham received Scholastic Art & Writing Awards when they were teens. Locally, Laura Youngbird, Director of Native American Art at Plains Art Museum, was a Scholastic teen award winner.

Next, Netha Cloeter, Director of Education and Social Engagement at Plains Art Museum spoke.

The Dean of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at NDSU, David Bertolini spoke about the importance of creativity in today's world.

One of our judges, Kelvin Monroe, gave a talk titled "The Unruly Poetics of Becoming."

Katherine Rieck then introduced the student award winners. Students went up to the mic, introduced themselves, and stated the award they received. 

Kira Sharp introduces herself to the audience

Here are this year’s Gold Key in writing winners:

Flash Fiction   Peyton Blotsky                        Watford City

Journalism      Abigail Brooks                         Fargo

Novel               Sumaiyah Alyadumi                Watford City

Personal Essay/Memoir

                        Megan Ausk                            Kindred

                        Mattea Johnson                      Kindred

                        Manisha Karki                         Fargo

                        Annelise Klein                         Bismarck

                        Anna Stoppleworth                 Kindred

Poetry

                        Therese Byankuba                 Fargo

                        Srinath Kandooru                    Bismarck

                        Sunni Parisien                        Belcourt

Science Fiction/Fantasy

                        Samuel Tschaekofske            Bismarck

                        Mason Wilmer                         Park River

Short Story

                        Olivia Drake                            Fargo

                        Jacob Frisinger                       Bismarck

Netha Cloeter was back at the mic again, this time to recognize the educators and judges in the audience. All educators whose students receive an award are given a Scholastic educators' pin. We ask them to stand up, so the audience can applaud them for their mentoring of the student award winners. 

Next, Kelly and Netha announced the five American Voices nominees in art and the five American Voices nominees in writing. These works go through additional judging to determine the "best of show" each year. Their works are forwarded on to the national level for adjudication. The American Voices Nominees were Peyton Blotsky (Watford City), Therese Byankuba (Fargo), Olivia Drake  (Fargo), Sunni Parisien (Belcourt), Samuel Tschaekofske (Bismarck). The American Visions Nominees were Fischer Ackerson (Sherwood), Yuki Coyle (Fargo), Olivia Propeck (Fargo), Deanna Rose (Grand Forks), Eva Sobak (Fairdale).

Something new this year was the awarding of local scholarships. NDSU gave two $1500 scholarships from the art department and one $600 scholarship from the English department. 

NDSU Art Professor announces the two art scholarship winners

Andrew Stark, an art professor, presented two $1500 Falck Scholar Artist Award from NDSU’s Department of Visual Arts, one to Jakob Bloomquist for his photograph “The Outsiders,” and one to Deanna Rose for her drawing “Hand.” Jamee Larson, a creative writing lecturer at NDSU, presented a $600 scholarship to Peyton Blotsky to attend NDSU and study English. 

Peyton Blotsky with her parents, flanked by Jamee Larson (L) and Kelly Sassi (R)

On March 12th, we got some additional good news. Ten national medals were awarded to six students from North Dakota. In order to be considered for a national medal, students first had to earn a gold key at the state level.

Megan Ausk, a 12^th grader from Kindred High School, won a gold medal in the category of personal essay/memoir for “Transcending Societal Norms” (educator, Tanya Neumiller).  Jakob Bloomquist, a 12^th grader from Maple Valley High School in Tower City, won a silver medal in Photography for “The Outsiders” (educator, Julie Kaspari).  Olivia Drake, a 9^th grader at Davies High School, won a gold medal for her short story “I Dream of Nightingales” (educator, Lindsay Seelig). She also won the American Voices Medal for all of North Dakota.  Annelise Klein, an 8^th grader from Horizon Middle School in Bismarck won a silver medal in personal essay/memoir for “Diabetes” (educator David St. Peter). Olivia Propeck, an 11^th grader from Davies High School, won a gold medal in photography for “Jamaica 2018 (2)”, a silver medal in photography for “Issa,” a Best in Grade Award, and the American Visions Medal for all of North Dakota (educator, Jazmyne Reinke). Deanna Rose, an 11^th grader from Grand Forks who is home schooled, won a silver medal in painting for “Strange Confection.”

Katherine Rieck selling anthologies--more are available for purchase--contact Kelly.sassi@ndsu.edu

The North Dakota Affiliate is grateful to Frederickson and Byron for their support of the state ceremony. We are also grateful to our writing judges, many of whom are RRVWP teacher consultants:

Writing Judges

Anastassiya Andrianova

Jackie Brown

Carissa Brownotter

Alison Driscoll

Joshua Eddy

Marci Glessner

Nancy Gourde

Jamee Larson

Carl Lund

Martin McGoey

Aubrey McNary

Kelvin Monroe

Kim Rensch

Shiyel Rittenbach

Shweta Arpit Srivastava

Rebecca Weaver-Hightower

At the end of the evening, we wondered if the evening at the museum would become "Night at the Museum" because so much snow had fallen during the ceremony. But with a bit of shoveling and pushing, everyone managed to get out of the parking lot and back on their way.