The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Podcast

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Aug 2025

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About the show

Welcome to The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Podcast — a show for teen artists, writers, and educators. Hosted by The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, join us as we get to know accomplished Art & Writing Awards alumni and jurors. Founded in 1923, The Scholastic Awards has inspired bold ideas in creative teens throughout the country. Each month, we'll dive deep into the many different paths these Award winners have pursued. Whether it's fighting imposter syndrome, deciding on a college major, or you're stuck with a bad case of writer's block, we'll cover each and every one of your burning questions. As the nation's longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens, our notable alumni include Amanda Gorman, Kinsale Drake, Silvia Plath, Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Andy Warhol — and you. With every episode, we hope to inspire you to keep writing, keep creating, and never give up on your dream.

Listen to episodes

9 recent

August 7, 2025Episode 959 min

All About the Awards: The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers

For more than a century, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have inspired bold ideas in creative teens throughout the country. This episode grants you behind-the-scenes access directly from the source—the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent and present their remarkable work to the world through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. How has this notable program lasted for so long? Who are the voices behind the program, and how is it run? Listen to learn more! (2:14): Shannon Costello is the Senior Manager of Individual Giving & Events. Learn about scholarships and alumni involvement.(10:13): Connor Oswald is the Coordinator of Customer Service & Fulfillment. Hear about the Alliance's top FAQ's and essential portal practices.(20:57): Grace Caiazza is the Manager of Exhibitions. Check out the inside-scoop on what it takes to put on the National Exhibition, and the ins and outs of working with teen artists. (37:57): Karen Lautanen, the Deputy Director of External Affairs, tells us about fundraising, development, and marketing/communications for the Alliance. Follow The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards on social media! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artandwriting/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@artandwritingawards LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/4001380/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ScholasticGoldKey Donate: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E4286&id=3 Website: https://www.artandwriting.org/Blog: https://newsroom.artandwriting.org/

June 4, 2025Episode 81 hr 31 min

Innovators & Creative Thinkers: Carving Your Own Path

Jurors look for creative works that exemplify the Awards’ core values: originality, skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision. It only makes sense that our young alumni would pursue their own business ideas and ventures! In this episode, we chat with Scholastic Awards alums who have navigated their own paths by starting their own organizations. We discuss the importance of connecting with other creatives and the roadmap to becoming an innovator, from concept and plan to a thriving organization and product. (2:10): Rosie Hong and Caroline Zhang are Scholastic Awards Gold Medalists and founders of Fleeting Daze, a literary magazine with a mission to provide young artists and writers everywhere a platform to amplify their voices, share their experiences, and exemplify the fleeting details of their lives that have shaped them to be who they are today. Learn more about Fleeting Daze here: https://www.fleetingdazemag.com/ and visit their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fleetingdazemag/. (35:18): Rowana Miller is the executive director of Cosmic Writers, a nonprofit that offers multiple pathways for children to experience creative writing programs. Rowana graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and has been awarded the 2023 Greater Philadelphia Social Innovation Award for Educational Entrepreneurship and the 2022 University of Pennsylvania President’s Engagement Prize. Her debut novel, Secrets of the Blue Hand Girls, is forthcoming from Sourcebooks in Fall 2025.(1:02:32): Luke Hodges is a documentary producer based in New York City and a 2023 Alumni Microgrant recipient. Luke is the creator of the film "Crashing Out," a documentary short set at the height of the AIDS crisis.

April 10, 2025Episode 754 min

Your Guide to the National Student Poets Program

The National Student Poets Program is the nation’s highest honor for young poets (grades 10–11) creating original work. Annually, five students are selected for one year of service, each representing a different geographic region of the country. This episode includes all of the information you need to know about the Program—how to make your portfolio stand out, why this program changes lives, and the nitty-gritty details behind what it takes to be a published poet. (1:48): Darius Atefat-Peckham is a 2018 National Student Poetry Program alum and the author of Book of Kin, which won the 2023 Autumn House Poetry Prize. His work has appeared in Poetry, Poem-a-Day, The Georgia Review, Indiana Review, The Journal, Rattle, and elsewhere. Connect with Darius on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/d.ap_/?hl=en. (32:48): Hannah Jones is the Manager of the National Student Poets Program. More information about the NSPP: https://www.artandwriting.org/programs/national-student-poets-program/

March 7, 2025Episode 21 hr 19 min

The Life of an Artist: Practicality vs. Passion

If you want to dedicate your life to art, chances are you have asked yourself the following questions: Do I need an art degree to be an artist? How will I incorporate my love of art into a career someday? This episode is for you, visual storytellers. Episode two of The Scholastic Awards Podcast is all about how you can thrive in the art world after you’ve won your Scholastic Award. Join us as we collect wisdom from three notable alumni who have navigated their own paths in the art world in various ways. (1:46): James Wells is a 2001 Awards alumnus and creative leader. He currently works as an Innovative Teaching and Learning Manager at Crayola. Because of his Awards, he was offered a full art scholarship to his local college. Knowing how impactful early recognition can be, James has committed his entire career to inspiring young artists, creatives, and educators.(24:53): Matthew Ronay is a New York-based artist who creates organic sculptures, which are carved by hand from sections of basswood. Connect with Matthew on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mysteriousfog/?hl=en.(58:53): Sasha Baskin is a practicing weaver and lacemaker. She received her BFA in drawing from the Maryland Institute College of Art and her MFA in Craft and Material Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University. Baskin currently teaches at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Sasha is also a Scholastic Awards alumna, receiving a Gold Key Portfolio Award in 2010. Visit Sasha’s website for more: https://www.sashabaskin.com/

February 7, 2025Episode 11 hr 27 min

All About Publishing

This episode is for you, aspiring English majors! If you are a teen writer considering a future in the book world, you have come to the right place. How on earth does the publishing process work? Is an English degree useful? Do I need a literary agent to submit to publishing houses? That’s where episode one of The Scholastic Awards Podcast comes in—your destination for your burning publishing questions finally answered. Listen as the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers interviews publishing professionals from all angles of the industry. (2:01): Marc Brown is an American author and illustrator of children’s books, best known for creating the Arthur books and television series. Follow Marc on Instagram: @marcbrown333 or visit his website: https://marcbrownstudios.com/. (26:45): Alexandra Franklin is an associate agent at Curtis Brown Literary. Alexandra is particularly interested in upmarket and literary fiction, narrative nonfiction and memoir, and select literary YA. See Alexandra’s query guidelines here: https://curtisbrown.com/agents/alexandra-franklin/. (56:19): Emi Nietfeld is a writer and software engineer. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Rumpus, Vice, and more. Follow Emi on Instagram @eminietfeld or visit her website: https://www.eminietfeld.com/.

January 27, 202549 min

Artists, Writers, and Perfectionism

Today’s episode has a little bit of everything for both writers and artists, no matter the stage of your creativity journey.We chat about fighting perfectionism and knowing when a project is complete, taking inspiration from your creative idols without compromising your individuality, and so much more.Guests: (3:00): Sarah Nerboso is a 1999 Scholastic Awards alumna and screenwriter, currently writing on HBO Max’s Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai. After graduating with an M.F.A. in Film from Columbia University, this guest has written for a variety of animated shows, including Nick Jr’s Nella the Princess Knight, Apple TV’s Doug Unplugs, Imagine’s Tiny Chef, as well as several not-yet-announced upcoming projects. / nerbosowriterofworlds https://www.max.com/shows/gremlins-se... (17:05): Ashley Binstock is a 2022 gold medal portfolio winner in writing. This talented young writer wrote a collection of works that highlighted the underlying issues and topics stirred up by the pandemic. Today, she is a student at the University of St. Thomas studying environmental science and creative writing. / ashley.binstock https://www.flipsnack.com/artandwriti... (36:08): Lily Arnold is a 2022 gold medal portfolio award winner in Mixed Media and Printmaking. This guest’s art centers on her Asian American identity as an adoptee growing up in predominantly white spaces. Today, she is a fashion major at Savannah College of Art and Design. https://lilygarnold43.wixsite.com/lil...

January 27, 202551 min

No Risk, No Reward

In today’s episode, we discuss the magic of fusing art mediums, how to be vulnerable in your work, putting yourself out there creatively, and writing cross-genres. Guests:(2:45): Gabrielle Civil won a Scholastic Award in 1990 for nonfiction writing before becoming a feminist performance artist and writer. Today, she teaches in the MFA program in Creative Writing and the BFA program in Critical Studies courses at CalArts and has premiered fifty original performance artworks around the world.(18:33): Brittany Cavallaro won a gold medal in 2003 for her writing collection of poetry, flash fiction, and nonfiction. She then went on to publish two collections of poetry and a variety of Young Adult novels spread across multiple genres such as historical fiction, fantasy, thriller, and more. Her newest book, Sunrise Nights, in collaboration with Jeff Zentner, is on sale July 9.(38:55): Shaeley Lincoln is a 2022 Gold Medal Portfolio Award winner. This young artist’s winning portfolio explores the injustices against People of Color and celebrates cultural values. She is currently a sophomore majoring in Sculpture at Virginia Commonwealth University.Follow our guests!Gabrielle Civilhttps://www.gabriellecivilartist.com/ / gabrielle_civil Brittany Cavallarohttps://brittanycavallaro.com/ https://www.instagram.com/bricavallar... Pre-order a copy of Sunrise Nights: https://www.harpercollins.com/product... Shaeley LincolnLearn more about Shaeley's portfolio!

January 27, 20251 hr 2 min

It Only Takes One Yes

In today’s episode, we discuss the steps involved in the publishing process: querying literary agents, rejection, selling your work, and asking for your first blurbs. We also dive deeper into artist recognition, choosing a college major as an artist, and finding your confidence to call yourself an artist/writer. Guests:(3:57): Carolina Ixta received her first Gold Medal in Novel Writing in 2012. Today, she is a writer from Oakland, California, and an elementary school teacher whose pedagogy centers on critical race theory at the primary education level. Shut Up, This is Serious is her debut novel. (32:23): Mac Barnes is a 2022 Gold Medal Portfolio winner in Mixed Media. He is a gifted creator of quilted applique, the process of cutting out fabric pieces and sewing them directly on top of the larger quilt instead of seaming pieces. Through quilt-making, Mac concentrates on common themes of immigration and overcoming struggle, hoping to highlight the American experience.(44:39): Alexandra Pechman is a writer and director living in Los Angeles and was our 2023 Alumni Microgrant Program juror. She has written and produced TV shows for Hulu, directed a debut short film called Thumb, which premiered at the 2021 Fantasia Film Festival and is currently developing her first feature film. Previously as a magazine writer, her writing has been published in Vogue, The New York Times, Artforum, Vanity Fair, and many other magazines. Please welcome, Alexandra Pechman! Follow our guests!Carolina Ixta: / carolinaixta https://www.carolinaixta.com/Purchase a copy of Shut Up, This is Serious:https://bookshop.org/p/books/shut-up-... https://www.harpercollins.com/product...Mac Barnes:

January 23, 2025Episode 149 min

Making Connections Through Art & Writing

In today’s episode, we discuss the courage it takes to show your art with the world, the challenges and joys of being a college student and an artist, how the Awards have impacted our guest’s career trajectories, and the process of judging teen artwork.Guests:(3:13): Screenwriter & filmmaker Sri Rao, best known for the Netflix series The Fame Game, discusses screenwriting, the importance of putting your work out there, and how the Awards shaped his career in film. (21:30): 2022 Gold Medal Portfolio Award winner, Gina Bae, tells us about balancing her creative and personal life as a student pursuing a BFA in Illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design. (33:01): Art juror and editor of the Scholastic Art Magazine, Katie Brickner, lets us in on the secrets of what makes award-winning art stand out.