Colorado Academy rising sophomore Mason Smith recently attended Scholastic 2016 Art and Writing Awards National Ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City, NY. Smith had won a Gold Key for a collection of poetry, "Things I Always Do," and three Honorable Mentions as part of the regional awards last spring. In May, Scholastic awarded Smith a gold national award. He was among a dozen CA students who won 18 regional Scholastic Regional Awards for outstanding writing. All regional Gold Key honorees go on to be adjudicated by a national committee. Some receive national Gold and Silver awards, but not all receive recognition. Watch the full awards program hosted by Alec Baldwin here.

Since 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have recognized the vision, ingenuity, and talent of our nation’s youth, and provided opportunities for creative teens to be celebrated. Each year, increasing numbers of teens participate in the program, and become a part of our community—young artists and writers, filmmakers and photographers, poets and sculptors, video game artists and science fiction writers, along with countless educators who support and encourage the creative process.  Also winning Gold Keys was rising sophomore Richter Jordaan, who won two Golds. Also recognized at the event was the students' English teacher, Betsey Coleman.