Creativity Sets Another Record at Country Day

This year marked a record-breaking achievement for Cincinnati Country Day School. Sixty students across the middle and upper schools earned a total of 80 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, including nine Gold Keys and 27 Silver Keys, making it one of the most successful Scholastic years in school history.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is the nation’s longest-running recognition program for creative teens. Student work is evaluated on originality, technical skill, and the development of a personal voice, all of which make these significant accomplishments for writers and artists.  Gold Keys represent the highest level of honor, with only a small percentage of submissions across the region receiving awards at any level. Among this year’s Gold Key recipients, Irene Garcia `30 was also nominated for the American Voices award, a prestigious regional distinction given to a select group of standout works that advance to national consideration.

Behind this collective success is a learning environment that encourages students to take creative risks and thoughtfully refine their work.

“So many of our students are talented writers,” says Dr. Christine Bridge, Upper School English teacher. “It’s important that we give them the support, time, and space to develop their writing and revision skills.”

Sharing their work beyond the classroom also helps students grow by seeing how others connect with their creative expression.

“In class, we may be focused on technical skills, but a viewer brings their own perspective,” says Amy Brand, Upper School art teacher. “Sometimes people connect with a piece because of its meaning or emotional impact, not just how it was made.”

Congratulations to all our students on these outstanding achievements.  See the full list of award winners below. For more information about this award program, visit the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers.

Scholastic Art Award Winners

Gold Key
Oliver Jeffries `27 (Indian Hill): Neon Weed; Pinhole
Jessica Chen `26 (Milford): Bathroom Adventure
Kuan Zhao `28 (Loveland): Diary of a Lil’ K: My Spring Break; Deep in Beijing Hutong

Silver Key
Sabrina Beckett `28: Magic Cleaner!
Jessica Chen `26: It Hurts
Kaitlyn Heideman `28: Beast Basks in the Sun

Honorable Mention
Reema Arebi `27
Ireland Beckett `27
Zeyu Chen `26
Sammy Greenstein `27
Owen Kern `26
Emi Maurer `28

Scholastic Writing Award Winners

Gold Key
Kate Kranias `26 (Indian Hill):  A Long Walk Home; Remnants
Oliver Jeffries `27 (Indian Hill): I want to paint my eyes out
Gertrude Lazarus `27 (Hyde Park): Forsaken
Ann Wilson `27 (Batavia): Cutting (your hair) yourself
Chloe Jurgensen `29 (Indian Hill): The Last Goodbye
Aria Neilkumar `29 (Mason): A World That Lasts Forever
Sasha Slepnev `29 (Indian Hill): A Slippery Slope
Melanie Young `29 (Loveland): When Every Mask Has Fallen
Irene Garcia `30 (Cincinnati): Freedom on Hold; Buried in the Weight I Carry (American Voices Nominee)
Anna Kittredge `30 (Milford): Colors Through Water

Silver Key
Ella Blatt `26: Gum Helps
LC Cicchinelli `26: The Letter That Popped My Bubble
Jessica Chen `26: The Hours: The Dark Side of Art
Gracie Dickerhoof `26: Substance; Wearing Them; Horsemen
Kate Kranias `26: Make Me Gentle; Otherwise; The First Fourth of July After You Were in a Shooting
Ellie Texter `26: Navy-Blue
Ray Chen`28: Hamlet's Tragic Indecision; Dehumanization and Oppression in Never Let Me Go
Kaitlyn Heideman `28: Trash Motifs in Never Let Me Go
Thomas Huckleby `28: A Mirror to Humanity: The Rationalization of Cruelty in Never Let Me Go; “A Fatal Delay: Hamlet’s Tragic Flaw of Indecision.”
Linden Batts `29: The Melted Mascot
Parker Beaudoin `29: Personal Narrative
Abigail Breitbart `29: Sunshine and Rainbows; Changes
Beatrix Collett `29: Goodbyes
Ece Karakus `29: The Big House with White Walls
Aria Neilkumar `29: Glass, Rice, and Carrots
Angelina Nguyen `29: Home
Gemma Raimondo `29: Tsunami Surfing
Lucas Roblyer `29: I Survived Hell’s Revenge
Rohan Saravanakumar `29: The Unseen Strike
Delle Zamary `29: Chocolate Changes Perspective
Irene Garcia `30: The Time of Greed
Michael Wood `30: The Bane of Knowledge
Caroline Zimmerman `30: Change

Honorable Mention
Gracie Dickerhoof `26
Kate Kranias `26
Myles Shaw `26
Audrey de Alarcon `27
Nicholas Freitas `27
Gertrude Lazarus `27
Eric Nui `27
Minna Vens `27
Matthew Wood `27
Ria Patel `28
Sophie Corwin `28
Bowen Bailey `29
Automne Beauchamp `29
Hailey Carrigan `29
Max Cicchinelli `29
Malaysia Cofer `29
Beatrix Collett `29
Jack Dougherty `29
Axol Fontenot `29
Eala Jahanian `29
Chloe Jurgensen `29
Nathan Kellenberger `29
Dominique Makasiar `29
Naina Menon `29
Leo Mieher `29
Aria Neilkumar `29
Lili Sancrant `29
Kate Thompson `29
Natalie Voors `29
Melanie Young `29
Yuna Cho `30
Anna Kittredge `30
Andreas Pagdadis `30
Jr. Watson `30