A total of 20 students from Martha’s Vineyard earned recognition for their work in this year’s Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, an annual statewide competition since 1923.

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School brought home 25 awards, including six gold keys — the top prize. Students submitted work across the art and design subjects, and won awards in photography, ceramics and digital art.

“These kids worked really hard,” said Chris Baer, the chair of the Art, Design and Technology Department at the regional high school who also teaches photography and graphics classes.

Caiden Gardner won a gold key for Final Dance. — Caiden Gardner

Seniors Arianna Bonner, Caiden Gardner, junior Leelyn Thompson, and sophomores Tessa Schultz and Keira Welch all won gold keys.

There were 10 silver keys and nine honorable mentions.

Gold key winners will head to New York City in the spring for national judging and those awards will be announced in June.

“It can be a big boost for kids... it can launch careers,” Mr. Baer said.

Arianna Bonner won a gold key for Take Me to the Lakes. — Arianna Bonner.

Mr. Baer said in recent years he has seen more students submit digital art, where they use programs like Adobe Illustrator and Fresco to create their work.

Senior Louisiana White won a silver key for her digital illustration called Seeing Stars, a portrait of a woman enmeshed with pink and orange hues. Senior Emily Gilley won an honorable mention for her digital piece, Winter Nights, which depicts a horse and dog in a winter barn scene.

This year the regional high school also participated in a contest at the College of Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Four Vineyarders (Nyoka Walters, Caleb Dubin, Grace Cotton and Caiden Gardner) will have their work displayed as part of the Emerging Young Artists and Designers 2025 Juried Exhibition, which features an online exhibition on Feb. 7.

Scholastic Awards winners

Gold Key

Arianna Bonner, grade 12, Take Me to the Lakes (photography)

Caiden Gardner, grade 12, Final dance (photography)

Tessa Schulz, grade 10, The View (photography)

Tessa Schulz, grade 10, Vacation-Over (photography)

Leelyn Thompson, grade 11, Three Tier (ceramics & glass)

Keira Welch, grade 10, Tea Party For One (photography)

 

Silver Key

Hunter Broderick, grade 10, Holding on to Life (photography)

Eva Coelho, grade 10, Goes Quiet (photography)

Grace Cotton, grade 11, Broken Reflections (photography)

Stella DeBettencourt, grade 9, Hidden (photography)

Isla Fairstein, grade 10, Escape Artist, (photography)

Isla Fairstein, grade 10, Seeping Through (photography)

Matthew Macmillan, grade 10, The Blue Bus (photography)

Claus Smith, grade 11, Raindrop (ceramics & glass)

Louisiana White, grade 12, Seeing Stars (digital art)

Sophie Winters, grade 12, Seeing Double (photography)

 

Honorable Mention

Alex Biorci, grade 12, Wavy Blue (ceramics & glass)

Caleb Dubin, grade 12, /// (ceramics & glass)

Caleb Dubin, grade 12, Splatter Paint (ceramics & glass)

Mila Fairstein, grade 9, Take a Seat in the Sky (photography)

Mila Fairstein, grade 9, Thrown Away (photography)

Emily Gilley, grade 12, Winter Nights (digital art)

Rodeo Purves-Langer, grade 12, Out for a Ride (photography)

Claus Smith, grade 11, Eye Ball (ceramics & glass)

Brady Vought, grade 11, Still Here (photography)