History
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards were founded in 1923 and, for more than a century, have inspired bold ideas in creative teens throughout the country. Explore our interactive timeline to learn more about the Scholastic Awards, our alumni, and our jurors. View archival films and documents and see original work by some of our notable alumni!
Notable Alumni
- Frances Farmer, 1931 Actress
- Bernard Malamud, 1932 Author
- Robert McCloskey, 1932 Author, Illustrator
- Jacob Landau, 1933–34 Painter, Printmaker
- Harry Bertoia, 1934, ’36 Designer
- Ezra Jack Keats, 1934 Author, Illustrator
- Hughie Lee-Smith, 1934 Artist
- Truman Capote, ca. 1936 Author
- Maureen Daly, 1937–38 Author
- Charles White, ca. 1937 Artist
- Richard Avedon, 1941 Photographer
- Philip Pearlstein*, 1941–42 Artist
- Mozelle Thompson, 1944 Artist
- Andy Warhol, ca. 1945 Artist
- Robert Indiana, 1946 Artist
- Sylvia Plath, 1947 Author, Poet
- Edward Sorel*, 1947 Artist
- Idelle Weber, 1947 Artist
- Cy Twombly, 1948 Artist
- John Updike, 1948 Author
- Kay WalkingStick*, 1948 Artist
- John Baldessari*, 1949 Artist
- Donald Barthelme, 1949 Writer
- Alan Arkin, 1951 Actor
- Richard Hunt, 1951, ’53 Sculptor
- Red Grooms, 1952 Artist
- Robert Redford, 1954 Actor, Activist, Director
- Peter S. Beagle, 1955 Author
- Joyce Carol Oates*, 1956 Author
- Luis Jiménez, 1957–58 Sculptor
- Mel Bochner*, 1958 Artist
- Arnold Hurley, 1962–64 Painter
- Marc Brown*, ca. 1963 Author, Illustrator
- John Lithgow, 1963 Actor
- John Shearer, 1963–1966 Photographer
- Stephen King, 1965 Author
- Donald Lipski*, 1965 Sculptor
- Joyce Maynard*, 1966–71 Author
- Carolyn Forché*, 1967 Poet
- Tom Lichtenheld, 1967 Author, Illustrator
- Gary Panter, 1968 Artist
- Kevin Bales, 1970 Activist
- Tom Otterness*, 1970 Sculptor
- David Salle, 1970 Painter
- Ken Burns*, 1971 Director, Producer
- Michael Bierut, ca. 1974 Graphic Designer
- Thane Rosenbaum*, 1976 Novelist, Activist
- Rodney Alan Greenblat, 1977 Artist
- Richard Linklater, 1978 Filmmaker
- John Currin, 1979 Artist
- Audrey Niffenegger, 1981 Author, Illustrator
- Tracy Reese*, 1981 Fashion Designer
- Myla Goldberg, 1989 Author
- José Parlá, 1989 Author, Artist
- Gordon C. James, 1991 Illustrator
- Yolanda Wisher, 1991 Poet
- Paul Chan*, 1992 Artist, Activist
- Derek Fordjour*, 1992 Interdisciplinary Artist
- Ned Vizzini, 1996 Author
- Lucianne Walkowicz*, 1996 Astrophysicist
- Zac Posen*, 1998 Fashion Designer
- Lena Dunham, 1999 Actress, Director
- Erik Madigan Heck, 2001 Photographer
- Winston Chmielinski, 2006 Artist
- Timothy H. Lee, 2006, ’08 Artist
- Tschabalala Self*, 2008 Artist
- Amanda Gorman, 2015-16 Poet
- Kinsale Drake, 2017 Poet, Activist
*Recipient of the Alliance’s Alumni Achievement Award