The Visual Arts Department would like to commend Isabelle Massaro ’24 and Reagan Moriarty ’25 for earning national recognition in the 2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards! Isabelle won a Gold Medal for her short film, The Coffee Order, and Reagan won a Gold Medal for her sculpture, Daily Bread.
Founded in 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is “the nation’s longest-running most prestigious recognition program for creative teens.” While thousands of students in public and private schools earn regional Scholastic Awards, less than 1% of participating students win a national award. Isabelle and Reagan now join the ranks of the Scholastic Awards’ renowned alumni, including Andy Warhol and Joyce Carol Oates.
Isabelle was so surprised she thought she was reading her name by mistake. "When I found out that I won a national Scholastic gold medal, I honestly thought it must have been a mistake! I scrolled through the entire list of award winners to ensure that I had actually gotten an award! This is definitely one of the highlights of my year, as it is so rewarding to see my hard work and dedication pay off." exclaimed Isabelle.
To earn a Scholastic Award, students must create a piece that is one-of-a-kind, displays technical skill, and expresses the artist’s personal voice. Reagan Moriarty ’25 reflected on the process it took to make her sculpture and the risk-taking it required. “For the wood staining on the toast, I wasn't completely sure how that was going to turn out but decided to try it anyway. It really brought the whole piece together.” Sculpture teacher Lauren Cunningham shared, “Reagan worked hard to realize her vision for this piece. I am delighted to see her efforts be rewarded!”
Isabelle reflected that her award “is definitely one of the highlights of my year, and will give me the motivation to work hard and continue my filmmaking journey.” Film teacher Pejman Milani said Isabelle's “well-deserved recognition inspires the entire crew on pushing what’s possible by the students in our program.”
Congratulations to these students and their teachers! This is an amazing accomplishment.
Film stills from The Coffee Order by Isabelle Massaro ’24
Daily Bread by Reagan Moriarty ’25
