For the fourth consecutive year, Long Beach High School is proud to announce that a student has earned a national-level Gold Medal in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards program. This year, a Silver Medal was received as well.

Sophie Allen, a junior, achieved the national Gold Medal honor for her Poetry entry, “Demesne,” after first being recognized with a Gold Key award. She earned a national Gold Medal for her written work last year as well. Senior Max Tunney was presented with a national Silver Medal for his senior art portfolio, which initially received a Gold Key award.

A total of 20 students who participate in the high school’s Talented Writers Program earned 45 distinctions in the program’s writing component. In addition to her national Gold Medal and Gold Key award, Sophie received an Honorable Mention for work she submitted. Demi Amindeneau received three Honorable Mentions, Alyscia Batista earned a Silver Key award, Lauren Bulik was presented with a Silver Key award, Ava de Bruin received a Gold Key award, Colleen DiLello earned a Silver Key award, Anna Falvey was presented with three Gold Key awards, two Silver Key awards and four Honorable Mentions, Kate Hanson received a Silver Key award, Morgan Harrington earned a Gold Key award, Charlotte Kasper was presented with a Gold Key award, two Silver Key awards and two Honorable Mentions, Jordan Landsman received an Honorable Mention, Chysalis Mandell earned three Silver Key awards, Esther Molloy was presented with an Honorable Mention, Sarah Mullen received an Honorable Mention, American Muratori was presented with three Honorable Mentions, Vinny Pagano received a Silver Key award, Emily Reilley earned a Silver Key award and three Honorable Mentions, Lucia Techera was preseted with a Gold Key award and Honorable Mention, Alexandra Thursland received an Honorable Mention and Max Tunney earned three Honorable Mentions.

Four students received eight awards for their art and photography pieces. Aside from his national medal and Gold Key award-worthy portfolio submission, Max was the recipient of two additional Gold Key awards and one Silver Key award. Charlotte Kasper was presented with a Silver Key and Honorable Mention, Kristen Miciotta earned an Honorable Mention and Andrew Garcia received a Silver Key award.

Students across America submitted nearly 320,000 original works during the 2016 program year, across 29 different categories of art and writing. Presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards provide talented and skilled students with opportunities for recognition, exhibition, publication, and scholarships. Sophie will be formally recognized as a Gold Medal winner at a ceremony in June at Carnegie Hall.