Schlesinger and Quinn Honored at Carnegie Hall

This summer St. Stephen’s senior Rachel Schlesinger and 8th grader Hudson Quinn were honored at the 2017 National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards ceremony in New York City, where they received Best in Grade Medals for their creative works.
 
Schlesinger was honored for her documentary film, “Inge,” which was accepted into the 2017 SXSW film competition. Quinn was recognized for his novel, “Omaha.” An excerpt of Quinn's novel, which he wrote in 7th grade, will be included in an anthology of winners’ essays, poetry and more, “Best Teen Fiction of 2017–18.”
 
The Scholastic Art & Writing organization is one of the oldest and most respected student arts programs in the country. Students in grades 7 to 12 submit work in 16 different categories, including visual arts, creative writing, film making, editorial cartooning, costume design and more. Following regional competitions across the United States, Gold Key-winning submissions are judged again on the national level.
 
“Of the many thousands of entries, about 700 works receive National Gold Key Awards,” explained Elizabeth Hansing Moon, St. Stephen’s fine arts department chair. “Gold Key Winners are invited to a special ceremony at Carnegie Hall, where they are honored alongside the arts educators who taught and mentored them. In total 24 students are chosen Best in Grade from among the national Gold Key winners — two in art and two in writing for each grade. St. Stephen’s students Schlesinger and Quinn were two of the 24 top national winners.
 
“This ceremony is an inspiring celebration of these young artists' creative spirit, as well as an important acknowledgement of the long hours of hard work and excellent teaching that allow them to express their ideas in powerful and profound works of art,” Moon added. “St. Stephen’s is a place that invites kids to explore ideas, to put things together in new ways, and to share their efforts with the larger community.
 
“The entire St. Stephen’s community is extremely proud of these students, as well as their instructors — Upper School film teacher Mike Dolan and Middle School writing teacher Vicki Woodruff,” she concluded.
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Address: 6500 St. Stephen's Dr., Austin, TX 78746
Phone: (512) 327-1213