While most of us are preparing for the end of the year, students nationwide are racing to meet Scholastic Art & Writing Awards’ deadlines, submitting hundreds of thousands of original art and writing. At our peak, the Awards will receive over 6,000 entries a day.
The Awards has grown since it began in 1923, but the criteria remain the same – originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice. Together, through schools across the country, we have inspired millions of teens to create. Over our 90 year history, the Awards have become the nation’s highest honor for creative teens. Today, winners earn over $8 million in scholarships annually.
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Rachel Brosnahan and Bernadette Peters in Coming Up Roses.
(Source: http://www.cominguproses-movie.com )
Here at the Alliance, we come across many creative and talented individuals. From the incredible young artists and writers that participate in the Scholastic Awards each year to the brilliant teachers and jurors that work with us, our staff is constantly inspired by people like you.
But, did you know that many of our staff members are also artists and writers?
Our Web & IT Director, Dominic Matar, recently surprised us with some awesome news – he wrote the soundtrack to Coming Up Roses, a film starring Bernadette Peters that’s currently playing in theaters! Check out the trailer below:
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Primary Role: As Manager of National Programs, Rebecca is responsible for many aspects of the national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program, including student and teacher customer service, writing adjudication, student and teacher notification, and national events. Rebecca also manages the National Student Poets Program (NSPP), a partnership between the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services honoring youth poets whose original work exhibits exceptional creativity, promise, and dedication to the craft.
Secret Fact: Rebecca grew up in London, England where she lived with her family until she was 14.
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From L to R: Kat Hendrix, Director of National Programs & Partnerships and Virginia McEnerney, Executive Director
Guest post from the Alliance’s Executive Director Virginia McEnerney
Yes, it’s true: Kat and I were invited to a holiday party at the White House! Because we’ve been working with so many awesome Washington-based organizations on the National Student Poets Program, we’ve made some good friends in our nation’s capital, and one of them arranged for us to get this invitation.
We headed to the White House on the evening of Dec. 2. After passing through a few security checkpoints we entered the famous building. Everybody who works at the White House is very gracious and warm, so we were welcomed and guided up the stairs to the Central Hall where the U.S. Marine Band was playing. Read More
Primary Role: As Manager of Affiliate Services, Mariana is responsible for all aspects of affiliate support. Her job is to ensure that the wonderful men and women who promote and drive our regional programs are equipped with as many resources as possible. She also contributes to program development through implementing strategies that strengthen our mission as well as recruitment and retention efforts.
Secret Fact: When Mariana was 18 years old, she co-wrote the documentary, Assignment Education: Teen Stories, which won a Regional Emmy Award!
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Primary Role: Michael works as the Assistant of Art & Production at the Alliance. He lends his help in the design and production of printed and web-based materials, including designing annual publications like SPARK and The Best Teen Writing.
Secret Fact: Michael is a vegan and loves to experiment with new recipes and learning to cook foods from various cultures.
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