The Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley has announced the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards regional winners, including students from high schools and middle schools in Southwest County.

As Southwest Virginia’s regional sponsor for the awards through the National Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the center accepts entries from the counties of Pulaski, Smyth, Giles, Grayson, Bland, Carroll, Craig, Montgomery, Patrick, Roanoke and Wythe; and the cities of Radford, Martinsville and Bristol. FACNRV has sponsored the art portion of the award program for 15 years.

In all, the center received 719 pieces of artwork from around the region. The team of judges awarded five American Vision Nominees, 100 gold keys, 78 silver keys and 75 honorable mentions on Saturday, Jan. 19.

Gold key pieces compete nationally for gold and silver medals, cash awards and scholarships. Adjudication nationally will be complete by late February, and winners will be announced and notified in mid-March.

The winning pieces are currently on exhibit at the center’s gallery at 21 W. Main St. in Pulaski. The awarding of certificates and pins is Sunday, Feb. 17 from 2 to 4 p.m.

The awards were established in 1923 by M.R. Robinson, who also founded Scholastic Inc., now a global children’s publishing and media company, to encourage, foster and reward creativity in our nation’s classrooms. Throughout their 91-year history, the awards have bestowed early recognition upon some of our nation’s most celebrated artists and writers, including Truman Capote, Robert Redford, Andy Warhol and many others.

– Submitted by Judy Ison, Executive Director, Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley

Keep reading for the list of winners from South County.

Gold Key Winners from South County:

• Rabiya Asim, sophomore, Cave Spring High School, painting, ”Jewel”
• Michelle Brooks, sophomore, Cave Spring High School, photography, ”The Colors Of Life”
• Cortney Cooper, senior, Cave Spring High School, photography, “Magic Of A Moment”
• Colin Harris, junior, Cave Spring High School, photography, ”Falling Water”
• Elena Hernandez, sophomore, Cave Spring High School, photography, ”Fluorescent”
• Elena Hernandez, sophomore, Cave Spring High School, photography, ”Echo”
• Autumn Mehta, freshman, Cave Spring High School, photography, ”Bright Red”
• Carly East, eighth-grader, Cave Spring Middle School, painting, ”Beauty In Symmetry”
• Layne Sigmon, eighth-grader, Cave Spring Middle School,  drawing, ”Bug Design”
• Rebecca Hurt, senior, Hidden Valley High School, portfolio, drawing, collection of 8 pieces
• Rebecca Hurt, senior, Hidden Valley High School, drawing, ”Gourd”
• Rebecca Hurt, senior, Hidden Valley High School, painting, ”Zach”
• Zoe Wulff, sophomore, Hidden Valley High School, photography, ”Endless Orifice”
• Casey Murano, eighth-grader, Hidden Valley Middle School, ceramics & glass, ”Happy Bugs Teapot”

Silver Key Winners from South County: 

• Virginia Cates, senior, Cave Spring High School, photography, ”True, Beautiful Happiness”
• Lisa  Crawford, junior, Cave Spring High School, photography, “One Life”
• Nick D’alelio, senior, Cave Spring High School, mixed media, “We’re All Mad Here”
• Lisa Istad, senior, Cave Spring High School, photography, ”Lisas Photos”
• Amanda Woody, eighth-grader, Cave Spring Middle School, drawing, “Flower”
• Danielle Gailey, senior, Hidden Valley High School, mixed media, ”Circus Captivity”
• Rebecca Hurt, senior, Hidden Valley High School, mixed media, “Letters”
• Katherine Yang, junior, Hidden Valley High School, printmaking, “Bird”
• Ashley Oginz-Wilson, eighth-grader, Hidden Valley Middle School, ceramics & glass, ”Under the Sea”

Honorable Mentions from South County: 

• Michelle Brooks, sophomore, Cave Spring High School, photography, ”Generations Beneath the City”
• Virginia Cates, senior, Cave Spring High School, photography, ”Through A Trollie’s Glass”
• Cortney Cooper, senior, Cave Spring High School, photography, ”Recieving Nature”
• Chandler Keister, ninth-grader, Cave Spring High School, photography, ”Fender”
• Carly East, eighth-grader, Cave Spring Middle School, drawing, “Inspired By New York City”
• Annie Fentress, eighth-grader, Cave Spring Middle School, drawing, ”Bug Design”
• Lilly Mitchell, eighth-grader, Cave Spring Middle School, drawing, ”Flower”
• Sarah Ramsey, eighth-grader, Cave Spring Middle School, drawing, ”Georgia Flower”
• Jayali Samarasinghe, eighth-grader, Cave Spring Middle School, drawing, “Negative Space Bicycle”
• Gabrielle Gatzke, senior, Hidden Valley High School, drawing, ”Eulogy”
• Grady Saunders, senior, Hidden Valley High School, drawing, ”Pineapple Lagoon”
• Grady Saunders, senior, Hidden Valley High School, mixed media, ”Mawnster”
• Kaitlyn Perrin, seventh-grader, Hidden Valley Middle School, drawing, ”Pewter Bowl”
• Jay Werner, seventh-grader, Hidden Valley Middle School, drawing, “Wooden Bowl”