The art and literary work of four Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) students have earned them national recognition from The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards of 2007, a prestigious program that honors the nation’s most talented and young artists and writers.

The Brookwood, Mill Creek and Parkview High School students are part of a group of 1,100 students recognized nationwide. The 2007 Gwinnett recipients are:

Emily Beck, Mill Creek High (Kelly Guyotte, art teacher)
Silver Award in drawing-“La Lume”

Laura Conner, Brookwood High (Deb Sumpter, art teacher)
Silver Award in computer art-“Hand in Hand”

Maria Nozzi, Brookwood High (Barbara Willis, art teacher)
Silver Award in printmaking-“Self-Portrait”

Shalini Ramachandran, Parkview High (Teri Wilson, language arts teacher)
Silver Award in short short story-“The suitcase”
Gold Award in short story-“A small adjustment”

The silver award recognizes excellence in each category, while the gold award is presented to the most exceptional works in each category. There are 14 categories in the arts section, while the writing competition has 11 categories. The student’s teacher is honored along with the student. In addition to the awards, students are eligible for scholarship opportunities. Before these students were recognized at the national level, a total of 16 GCPS students were selected for the regional honor.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is administered by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, Inc. The nonprofit organization’s awards bring a national audience to the outstanding visual art and writing created by young students (grades 7-12) by showcasing their work and encouraging their creative journey and career development.

For more information, visit www.artandwriting.org.