Four SHS Students Win Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

What do four talented Scarsdale High School students have in common with renowned artists like Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Robert Redford, Andy Warhol, Joyce Carol Oates, Lena Dunham, and Amanda Gorman? In addition to their gifts of creativity, they also have all earned top recognition from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

On Wednesday, June 11, 2025, Mia Bornstein, Audrey Li, PJ Rosenthal, and Eric Kwon were among the other National Medalists and their educators who were honored with a star-studded ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

According to their website, “the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, were founded in 1923 and, for more than a century, have inspired bold ideas in creative teens throughout the country.” This year, nearly 110,000 students participated in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards with entries coming from all over the U.S. and Canada.

The Scholastic website also explains that all entries for the Scholastic Awards are” first considered regionally for Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention awards. Entries that win a Gold Key are automatically considered for National Awards, including Gold Medal, Silver Medal, and scholarship awards.”

Both PJ Rosenthal and Eric Kwon were awarded silver medals at the national level while Audrey Li and Mia Bornstein had their pieces recognized with a gold medal. What's More, Mia Bornstein’s submission not only won a gold medal but also earned her the additional honor of an American Voices Medal! This prestigious recognition is only bestowed to one, gold-key winning, nominee from each region and Bornstein’s “Portrait of Pluto” beautifully displays all the qualities of originality, skill, and the emergence of a personal voice, that jurors were looking for.

In her award-winning essay, Bornstein artfully explores the constructs of identity and belonging through a haunting reflection of Pluto as a “counterfeit planet” and the subjective, societal norms that dictate what “matters”. She superbly weaves together words which evoke profound ideas, vivid imagery, and heartfelt emotions. While impossible to do her essay justice by trying to describe it here, it is easy to understand why “Portrait of Pluto” was selected for such an elite recognition.

In addition to the celebration at Carnegie Hall, selections of the national winners are showcased in exhibitions and publications throughout the year. To learn more about the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, see here.

And to read Bornstein’s resonant and award-winning essay, see this link to “Portrait of Pluto”  click here.