After School Matters Teens Win 2021 National and Midwest Scholastic Art Awards

March 24, 2021

After School Matters teen Mya C. recently won three prestigious 2021 National Scholastic Art Awards from the nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. She was awarded a Gold Award along with two Silver Awards for her paintings titled, Cachito, Long Days, and Dysmorphia. Mya is in the After School Matters Advanced Drawing and Painting Portfolio program, mentored by longtime instructor, artist, and activist Miriam Socoloff, and is a senior at Ogden International High School.

“The After School Matters Advanced Painting and Drawing Portfolio teens won an impressive number of Gold and Silver awards as well as honorable mentions at the Midwestern and national level. The Scholastic Art Awards are a prestigious and historic achievement. These young people were competing against thousands of other very talented students. They won because their work was not only technically accomplished, it was intellectually, politically, and emotionally profound,” said After School Matters Advanced Painting and Drawing Portfolio Instructor Miriam Socoloff “This was art that directly confronted racism, income inequality, and the devastation caused by the pandemic. Special congratulations to our two teens who submitted award-winning portfolios, Mya, and Tyshaun! We are so proud of all our young people’s accomplishments.”

Mya and six other After School Matters teens in the Advanced Drawing and Painting Portfolio program were named winners of the Midwest Scholastic Art Awards earlier this year. Gold Key awardees can apply for free summer residencies and other opportunities. Gold Key Portfolio Award winners, like Mya, are submitted to the national competition.

Included is a full list of all the teens who won Scholastic Awards and honorable mentions:

National Scholastic Art Awards Winner:

Mya C. – Gold Key Portfolio Award, 2 individual Silver Keys

Midwest Scholastic Art Awards Winners:

Mya  C. – Gold Key Portfolio Award, 6 individual Gold Keys, American Visions Nominee, 2 Silver Keys, 2 Honorable Mentions

Samantha F. – Individual Gold Key

Tyshaun Z. – Silver Key Portfolio Award, 1 individual Gold Key, 3 individual Silver Keys, 1 Honorable Mention

Kaylen G. – 2 individual Gold Keys, 1 Honorable Mention

Quentin C. – 2 Honorable Mentions

Katherrin B. – 1 individual Gold Key, 1 Silver, 1 Honorable Mention

Ranya D. – 2 individual Gold Keys, 1 Honorable Mention

View the teens’ fall 2020 artwork.

About The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers

The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the presenter of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, identifies teenagers with exceptional artistic and literary talent and brings their remarkable work to a national audience.

Each year the Alliance presents $10,000 each to 16 Gold Medal Portfolio recipients and $1,000 to 30 Silver Medal with Distinction Portfolio recipients. The Alliance also partners with dedicated funders to offer creative challenges and additional direct scholarships. In addition, the Alliance partners with select colleges and universities to earmark scholarships for award recipients. We send a special announcement listing all graduating National Medalists to these schools.

Back to Pressroom