Dwight E. Lee, Chairman of the Board
B.J. Adler, Executive Director

This year the Alliance conducted the 82nd year of The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and embarked on ambitious plans to support the creative growth of even more American teenagers. We have been asking everyone within the Alliance community—students, teachers, parents, arts professionals, creative industry leaders, and our contributors—what is needed to identify creative potential, nurture its development, and celebrate the remarkable artistic vision of our nation’s most gifted young artists and writers. Their answers are helping us shape the future of the Alliance and increase the impact of The Scholastic Awards.

By talking with Scholastic Awards participants, we learned how defining oneself as a creative person impacts a young life.

Art has become my self-definition. I see myself as an artist. It’s how I’ve become a part of the world and it’s part of how I think and interact with others. If I weren’t writing or painting, I wouldn’t be the same person.

—Amanda Gotera, Portfolio Gold Award Recipient, 2005

Students who achieved at the highest levels in The Awards showed their grit and drive. When asked how long it took to create his Gold Award portfolio, Marcos Ortega from Wauwautosa, Wisconsin told us, 18 years.

Many of the students recognized nationally let us know how important the support of families, teachers, schools, and communities is in their process of becoming artists and writers. Gold Portfolio Award recipient Abdullahi Farah summed it up:

At my school they were saying, “It’s Scholastic Awards time.” If we lost our flyer, because we usually did, they would hand out another one. I’m here because other people showed me the path.

Renewing contact with former Awards recipients, our alumni, has shown us how much these working artists and writers can illuminate the creative path for the next generation. Who but sculptor Don Lipski’s would advise young sculptors to get more storage space?!  We recently crossed paths with many interesting alums like Jack Lew, alum ‘64, who is a talent recruiter for Electronic Arts, a leader in the gaming industry. We discovered that Cy Twombly is an alum and found a picture of Andy Warhol wearing his Gold Key as an adult! Not to mention those we heard from who are using their creative skills as neuroscientists, business leaders and political activists.

What better motivation to providing even more access and support to creative young Americans in 2006 because we know that the young artists and writers in our neighborhoods are the next generation of visionaries, leaders and entrepreneurs. We hope you will consider joining our growing community of support.