Freshman Amelia Ao:
What awards did you win?
I won four [Silver Keys] and one honorable mention for drawings.

Was this the first year you entered? If not, what year?
No. I entered both last year and two years ago.

Was this the first year you won something?
[Last year], I won a Silver [Key] and an honorable mention. Two years ago, [I got] an honorable mention.

Are you currently taking an art class?
Both in school and out of school. Inside of school I’m taking Art I.

What inspired you to make the art pieces you entered?
I went to the Museum of Fine Arts to get inspiration.

Freshman Michelle Li:
What awards did you win?
I got two Silver Keys and one honorable mention.

Was this the first year you entered? If not, what year?
I also entered in seventh grade and last year.

Was this the first year you won something?
In seventh grade, I got gold. In eighth grade, I got an honorable mention.

Are you currently taking an art class?
Yeah, with a teacher who comes to my house.

What inspired you to make the art pieces you entered?
[My teacher] just has just draw stuff, and we come up with ideas, add a background, then just send them in.

Junior Natalie Hsu:
What awards did you win?
I won two honorable mentions.
Was this the first year you entered?
Yes, this was the first year I entered.
Was this the first year you won something?
Yes.
Are you currently taking an art class?
No, I take art classes outside of school.
What inspired you to make the art pieces you entered?
For the first piece I submitted, I thought a lot about my interest in sewing and thought I could make a complex piece to represent every detail of sewing. Then my other piece was based more off of my anxiety and emotions as a person.

Junior Shaelee Comettant:
What awards did you win?
I won a Silver Key in painting.

Was this the first year you entered? If not, what year?
No, I entered something last year.

Was this the first year you won something?
I got an honorable mention.

Are you currently taking an art class?
I’m in Honors Art 4.

What inspired you to make the art pieces you entered?
The piece that I entered was a self-portrait of me called “Serendipity,” and I made it because art and tea both really calm me down. It’s a small aspect of my life, but they really make me happy.

Senior Tim Dowling:
What awards did you win?
I won two honorable mentions and a gold key in photography.

Was this the first year you entered? If not, what year?
I entered last year with five, but I did not win anything. I entered this year with four, and I won three, so that’s pretty cool.

Was this the first year you won something?
Yes.

Are you currently taking an art class?
Freshman year I took Art 1, and sophomore year I took Photography and Digital Art. Last year I took a Photography Independent Study, and this year I’m just doing other electives.

What inspired you to make the art pieces you entered?
With photography, it’s a very instantaneous process. It’s not like sitting down and planning out exactly what you’re going to do. You can plan a shoot, but usually it sort of comes to you while you’re doing it. You see a cool composition and you just get a picture of that. The whole thing with the Scholastic Art Awards is that it’s supposed to show an unique individual’s voice. I felt like these three pieces were my most unique and interesting pieces, and [also] told a story.

Senior Anna Marobella
What awards did you win?
This year, I got two honorable mentions for art that I did. One of them was a portfolio that I put in, and the other one was a drawing.

Was this the first year you entered?
No.

Was this the first year you won something?
Last year I received an honorable mention.

Are you currently taking an art class?
Yes I am. I’m taking AP [Art]. I’ve taken Art 1 through 3 and skipped 4 and went straight to AP. I don’t [take an art class outside of school], but my dad and I have been looking for one.

What inspired you to make the art pieces you entered?
Usually, I find inspiration when I’m having a conversation with my friends. Some strange idea will pop up and I’ll find myself thinking about an image of that object over and over again. If I’m really caught up in the atmosphere and the scene of wherever I am, I’ll do something based on that. [My surroundings] pretty much inspire me a lot.