The National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program was developed to establish a structure for encouraging outside-of-the-box thinkers and creators. Student works are reviewed and recognized by a panel of creative professionals, and awarded for their outstanding merit in originality, skill, and the emergence of a personal voice and vision.
Jefferson High School artists compete in the 8 state Midwest Region sponsored by the University of Iowa’s Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development. The 2026 results were announced recently reflecting the following statistics:
Gold Keys are awarded to the top 5-7% of all entries.
Silver Keys are awarded to the top 7-10% of all entries.
Honorable Mention is awarded to the top 10-15% of all entries.
The following JHS students received Regional/State level awards and will be honored at a Scholastic Awards Celebration hosted by the University of Iowa.
Gold Key Awards: Highest level of achievement. All Gold Key works are forwarded to New York City to compete for inclusion in the national exhibition.
Lida Luangsisongkham, Drawing / “Summer Flowers”
Mily Sigala, Drawing/ “Grief”
Silver Key PORTFOLIO Award: Portfolio recognition awarded to seniors for exemplary work.
Mily Sigala, Portfolio / “Gray”
Silver Key Awards:
Dayana Santiago, Drawing / “Through the Glass”
Kaliyana Ayala, Drawing / “Still Beating”
Mily Sigala, Drawing / “Avoiding Reality”
Julisa Porcayo, Drawing/ “Beauty of Impermanence”
Honorable Mention PORTFOLIO Award: Portfolio recognition awarded to seniors for exemplary work.
Destinee Lazzaro, Portfolio / “Personal Fears in B+W”
Honorable Mention Awards:
Evelin Avery, Painting / “Lesly"
Madalynn Douhly, Drawing / “A Bloom of Color "
Karlie Hawley, Painting / “Reflection of a Summer's Day"
Destinee Lazzaro, Drawing / “Mother Nature"
Giancarlo Maya, Drawing / “What a Strange World"
Adylene Montoya, Illustration / “The Air I Breathe”
Kristina Solis, Drawing / “Wither”
Dayana Santiago, Drawing / “Release”
Brittany Zepeda, Drawing / “Dead Fall”
National award recognition will be announced in March. Three-hundred of the nation’s most creative and accomplished teenage artists will be invited to New York City this summer to receive top honors from The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program.
REGIONAL Scholastic Art & Writing Award results can be accessed at https://www.artandwriting.org/regions/ARALMW