Recognition
We celebrate creative teens locally and nationally with awards, exhibitions, publications, and scholarships.
Regional Awards
All entries are considered for Gold Key, Silver Key, Honorable Mention, American Voices Nominee, and American Visions Nominee awards. These are presented to students along with celebration ceremonies and exhibitions in each region.
National Awards
Gold Key entries are automatically considered for national awards, including Gold Medal, Silver Medal with Distinction, Silver Medal, and scholarship awards.
A list of all of the National Medalists is published on our website each spring.
American Voices & Visions Award
Each regional program will nominate five teens for the American Voices Award or American Visions Award. Nominees must have a Gold Key work with an original, authentic voice or vision. The process for nominating teens may differ from region to region. Jurors may consider many factors that combine the recognition of talent and the representation of diverse mediums, viewpoints, and backgrounds.
National jurors will select one nominee from each region for the American Voices or Visions Award.
National Ceremony
We honor hundreds of students and their educators with a star-studded ceremony in New York City. Recent special guests include Oprah Winfrey, Tim Gunn, Alec Baldwin, Sonia Manzano, Tituss Burgess, Amy Schumer, Billy Collins, Whoopi Goldberg, and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Highlights from previous years and full-length videos of our most recent ceremonies are available to watch online.
Exhibitions
Regional, national, and traveling exhibitions showcase selections of award-winning student work each year.
Publications
Selections of student work are highlighted annually in Best Teen Art and Best Teen Writing, and a list of all National Medalists is included in the Yearbook.
Scholarships
National Medalists are eligible for scholarships of up to $12,500.