New York, NY — April 6, 2009 — Who are the most talented young writers and artists in America? The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, a national program that identifies and develops creative teenagers, today announced the 2009 winners of the prestigious Awards, including 12 high school seniors honored with the Portfolio Gold Award, the highest level of achievement. The 12 winners (listed below) will each receive a $10,000 cash award to help pay for college, plus special recognition on the stage of Carnegie Hall in New York. Click here to see their outstanding work.

In addition, 300 seniors who received a national award are also eligible for scholarships— $500 to full tuition— at more than 60 colleges, universities and art institutes across the country. Each year, $3.9 million in art and writing scholarships are available nationwide to help young artists and writers pay for college. More than 1,000 of America’s most talented students in grades 7-12 and representing nearly every state in the country were chosen to receive national awards. To find out who in your state received a national award, click here.

On June 4, the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the nonprofit which presents the Awards, will honor winners at a special ceremony at the world-famous Carnegie Hall in New York City. Selected award-winning art and writing will be exhibited at the World Monuments Fund Gallery in Manhattan from June 3-24. Click here for an online press kit about the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers and The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

"Since Scholastic's founder M.R. Robinson established the Art & Writing Awards, the program has been an oasis for the more than 13 million creative young people who have participated," said Virginia McEnerney, Executive Director of the Alliance. "For 86 years, winning an Art & Writing Award has provided early recognition and support for teenagers, many of whom have gone on to produce pioneering creative work with worldwide impact. We are excited to encourage new generations in their creative and professional development."

Distinguished past recipients include Andy Warhol, Robert Redford, Sue Miller, Richard Avedon, Zac Posen, Tom Otterness, Sylvia Plath, Bernard Malamud, Philip Pearlstein, Thane Rosenbaum, Joyce Carol Oates and John Lithgow who all received recognition when they were in high school.

Recipients of the art scholarships through the 2009 Art Portfolio Gold Award are Kyle Boganwright of Hilliard, Ohio; Haeun Chung of Oakland Gardens, New York; Robin Owings of West Blocton, Alabama, Edward Park of Oradell, New Jersey; Abraham Pineda-Fischer of Foley, Minnesota. Recipients of the writing scholarships through the Writing Portfolio Gold Awards are Celia Bell of Baltimore, Maryland; Jared Dummitt of New York, New York; Pauline Holdsworth of State College, Pennsylvania; Chelli Riddiough of Madison, Wisconsin; Lauren Youngsmith of Littleton, Colorado. The two Photography Portfolio Gold Award recipients are Jordan Morrow of West Bloomfield, Michigan and Deondra Scott of Montgomery, Alabama.

Each year, the Alliance receives thousands of works of art and writing, submitted through regional affiliate programs across the nation for consideration in 25 categories. The submissions are evaluated locally and nationally by panels of jurors comprised of renowned artists, authors, educators and arts professionals.

# # #

**Interviews with winners of the 2009 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and images of art and writing excerpts are all available upon request.**

Contact

Jennifer Boggs
Scholastic
212.343.6619
jboggs@scholastic.com

Cathy Lasiewicz
Scholastic
212.343.6570
clasiewicz@scholastic.com