The Scholastics Art and Writing Awards is the most prestigious and longest-running national recognition and scholarship program for young artists and writers. Each year, the awards recognize students for their creativity, skill, and unique style on a regional and national level. This year, four Hill students, Jasmine Wang ’23, Yoseph Kim ’22, Chloe Han ’22, and Adelyn Sim ’24, were recognized regionally for their artwork. 

Wang received one Gold Key, two Silver Keys, and two Honorable Mentions for her photography. She took the photos on a trip to various places in China, such as the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes in Gansu. Her Honorable Mention pieces were two landscape photos titled “Anhui” and “Qing Hai.”

“The scenery was breathtaking,” Wang said. “I may never see something like that again, so I wanted to capture it.”

Her Silver Key portraits, “Woman Washing Clothes” and “A Monk Playing Basketball,” along with her Gold Key portrait, “The Rotisserie Owner’s Daughter,” all depict moments that are quite genuine. They show a unique side of the locals that cannot be replicated elsewhere. 

“People from rural areas seemed very humble, sincere, and honest,” Wang said. “To me, these moments are rare and very impactful. I didn’t know monks played basketball, so that was interesting to see. Also, the little girl had a very pure look in her eyes that I liked.”

Kim received a Silver Key for his photo “Hall of Light.” He took it in Paradise City, a resort located in Seoul, South Korea. The image features Paradise Walk, which is a bridge connecting two main spaces of the resort.

“I chose to photograph this hallway because it summarized the city’s vibe very well,” Kim said. “The lighting was also unique and beautiful.”

Kim wanted his work to show how there will always be light in the world, even when the situation seems dark or bleak. He finds this message especially relevant to current events in the world, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I want the audience to feel hopeful and euphoric while looking at my photo,” Kim said.

Han received two Honorable Mentions, one for her sculpture “A Person in a Hand Sanitizer” and one for her painting “The Vertical Concavity.”

“I wanted to create something related to COVID-19,” Han said when talking about her sculpture. “I thought about how much we depend on hand sanitizers and how effective they are. I also wanted to emphasize the importance of keeping our personal hygiene.” The entire sculpture took her four to five days to make. She used hand sanitizer bottles filled with resin and placed miniature people in those bottles. She encountered some challenges when making the smaller details. 

“I struggled a little bit trying to come up with an idea on how to show the contrast between the people in the sanitizer and the ones outside,” Han said. She chose to make the miniatures that are submerged in sanitizer colorful and the ones outside black. 

Han’s painting “The Vertical Concavity” combines images from her real-life experiences and her dreams.

Sim received an Honorable Mention for her pencil drawing “Blow-Up,” which features three different perspectives of a miniature car. 

“I chose a miniature car because there are many details I can concentrate on,” Sim said. “I didn’t want my work to be simple.” In her drawing, she chose to illustrate the front of the car, which had both dark and light areas, and the logo. Ensuring the ratio and details were accurate was the most challenging part of Sim’s creative process.

“I took a photo of the car and measured the ratios such as distance between wheels and the ratio of the front bumper to the door,” Sim said. 

“I’m so proud of all the winners of the Scholastic Arts & Writing Awards,” said Ellen Nelson, senior master of the arts. “Students showed a great deal of self-initiative and creativity through their entries.”