Sister Patricia McCarron, SSND, Ph.D., headmistress of Notre Dame Preparatory School, announced today that 20 students have earned regional recognition for this year’s Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, some taking home multiple honors. All told, NDP students earned a total of 33 awards in creative writing and fine arts categories.
Of note, six students achieved the highest honor or “Gold Key,” thereby making them eligible for the national recognition component of the competition and accompanying scholarship dollars if selected.
“We are thrilled to celebrate these wonderful writers and artists for their achievements in this competitive program,” said Sister Patricia McCarron, SSND, Ph.D., headmistress. “We are extremely grateful to our teachers who help all of our students and who challenge and inspire them to reach the fullness of their God-given potential.”
The NDP Gold Key winners include:
- Brooke Johnston ’24, poetry, Gold Key
- Brooke Mackley ’23, — NOTE: This is Brooke’s fifth consecutive year being recognized.
- flash fiction, Gold Key
- also, short story, Silver Key and short story, Honorable Mention
- Elisa Rodrigues ‘27,
- poetry, Gold Key
- also poetry, Silver Key
- Mia Saxon ’26,
- two (2) Gold Keys in poetry
- also, two (2) Silver Keys in poetry
- Olivia Sobkowicz ’25,
- short story, Gold Key
- novel, Gold Key
- Ava Stone ‘27,
- art, Gold Key
- also, two (2) Silvery Keys in poetry and one (1) Silver Key in flash fiction
Other competition winners include:
- Sydney Babik ’23, art, Honorable Mention
- Sammi Brown ’27, flash fiction, Silver Key
- Isabella Bullis ’24, art, Honorable Mention
- Taylor Foltz ‘26
- flash fiction, Silver Key
- poetry, Silver Key
- Reilly DiPaula ’24, art, honorable mention
- Ashlyn Grenier ’27, poetry, honorable mention
- Jackie Kohler ’27, poetry, Silver Key
- Isabella Levero ’27, flash fiction, Silver Key
- Summer Nelson ‘23
- personal essay, Silver Key
- memoir, Silver Key
- BiancaRose Nnabue ‘26
- poetry, Honorable Mention
- flash fiction, Silver Key
- Paige Pauliny ’27, short story, Silver Key
- Riley Reinhardt ’25, art, Honorable Mention
- Skylar Silvis ’24, art, Honorable Mention
- Ellie White ’23, art Silver Key
Sponsored by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7-12 in the nation. The NDP winners are among 1,600 teens from Baltimore and the surrounding region who submitted 4,200 works of visual and literary art. All works were blindly judged by local visual artists, novelists, poets, playwrights, educators, and editors. Each piece is judged based on originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice.
“The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards provides our student artists and writers an opportunity to authentically experience the process of sharing their creations and receive recognition for their efforts in a way much like professional artists and writers do,” says NDP Art Teacher Anne Walker. “Any opportunity that gives creative students this recognition of the value of their talents and efforts opens them to taking more chances with their creative pursuits.”
Founded in 1873, Notre Dame Preparatory School is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for approximately 800 girls in grades 6-12. The School Sisters of Notre Dame sponsor the school, which is dedicated to educating young women to transform the world.
