Creativity runs through the rooms and hallways of Poly, so when it’s time to put it to paper, our teachers encourage their students to submit to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for 7th to 12th graders. We’re so proud of our five students who were recognized in 2020 for their amazing contributions in writing, photography, and mixed media.

Hallie Stephenson ’20 won a Gold Key Award. “My winning work was a personal essay that I wrote my sophomore year in creative writing class,” Hallie explained. “It was called “Can You Hold It?” and was comedic while also being very personal.” She won three Honorable Mention Awards for her writing, as well.

Emily Weinstein ’20 earned a Silver Key award from Scholastic for a piece she wrote in Senior Seminar. “My piece is called ‘The Eye of the Hurricane,’” Emily said. “It speaks to my experience during Hurricane Sandy, having lost my family’s summer home in Breezy Point. I write about what the home meant to me and about the knowledge that the place I grew up and created so many fond memories in no longer stands nor could I ever return to it as it once was.”

Tommy Bennett ‘20 earned a Silver Key in the photography category for a work, “Belted In.” Tommy is part of our new Digital Photography course taught by Adina Scherer. His work and the work of other students in the class was exhibited at Poly’s Winter Art Show. Bennett previously won two Honorable Mention Awards in photography in 2017.

Alexandra Nava-Baltimore ’20 won three Honorable Mention Awards in the photography category for “We See,” “Juan’s Story,” and “Clean Lines.”

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#RepostPlus @polyprep – – – – – – Congratulations to #PolyPrep senior Alexandra Nava-Baltimore ‘20 who won Honorable Mention for her photography in the 2020 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards! @ScholasticArtandWritingAwards @artandwriting #studentphotography #polypreparts

A post shared by Poly Prep ARTS (@polypreparts) on Feb 5, 2020 at 5:39am PST

Bella F. ’22 won Honorable Mention for a mixed media work, Pieces. “I created this piece in Mr. Herwitt’s Art Foundations class freshman year,” Bella said. “It is titled Pieces because the work is composed of different fragmented parts that I fit together in a cohesive work of art. I was inspired by Mr. Herwitt’s art style, which focuses on futuristic and interpretive themes.”

Interested in submitting an entry to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards? Find out about the program and deadlines.