Congratulations to the 1,346 talented students in Harris County from public, charter, private and home schools who earned 2015 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The results were just released. Each year teachers like you take the time to sponsor students who are talented writers and artists. Thank you for investing in your students.

Past recipients are people like Zac Posen, Sylvia Plath, Robert Redford and Andy Warhol. Gold Key awardees advance to national judging in New York City.

We are touched by the stories that fuel passion for art and writing in our youth. We have our own story here at Harris County Department of Education. Our Adult Education GED/ESL teacher Kelly Dixon passed away last year after a brave war with cancer. His daughter Linda Dixon from Pasadena ISD was named a Gold Key recipient with her mixed media piece called “Treasure Chest.” The piece is influenced by her childhood memories with her father.

Thank you art teacher Tara Thompson from Bondy Intermediate, Pasadena ISD, for encouraging Linda’s creativity following the death of her father.

If you have similar stories about how your students were inspired in life to create their Scholastic Art & Writing masterpieces, please send them to us.

For a list of Scholastic Art & Writing awardees and for information about the iconic, 92-year-old program called Scholastic Art & Writing, go to http://www.hcde-texas.org/scholasticartandwriting .  See our press release.