Multiple students, currently attending Jefferson received National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards from the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers. A total of six students were recognized nationally, ranging from sophomores to seniors.

Sophomore Meera Gupta, junior Crystal Shi, and senior Julia Zhou were all honored with gold medals. Gupta submitted a poetry piece, Shi submitted a flash fiction, and Zhou submitted a personal memoir.

“I wrote my piece thinking of my grandfather, who passed away last fall. The day after his funeral, I went to the farmer’s market alone for the first time. Writing “Fish” was a way a for me to unpack that experience,” Zhou said.

Sophomore Saigautam Bonam and junior Janice Li accepted silver medals for their personal memoir and drawing & illustration, respectively.

“I wrote about my immigration to the United States from India when I was 2 years old, and how I still have conflict about which place is truly my home. I got the inspiration for it because that is one of the main events that defines me as a person. Even though I’m not an American citizen, I still feel like America is more of a home to me than India would be,” Bonam said.

Senior Brenna Courtney was bestowed a silver medal with distinction for her art portfolio.

Other students from across the country submitted critical essays, dramatic scripts, humor, journalism, novel writing science fiction and fantasy, and short story pieces. Prior to the announcement of national winners, Scholastic broadcasted regional winners- 47 of which attend Jefferson.

Jefferson’s national medalists will be honored officially, at Carnegie Hall in June.