We are looking forward to viewing all the wonderful works from Harris County teen artists and writers as the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards 2017 officially kicks off and continues through Dec. 15, 2016.

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.  Harris County Department of Education is the regional sponsor of the Awards, and the Teaching and Learning Center is preparing for the intake and adjudication for another exciting year.

If you know a student who would like to enter, visit this site: http://www.artandwriting.org/ . This year an unprecedented amount of digital resources are available both at the national  and regional level. (These materials were designed to assist Harris County educators and administrators to help all participants submit well-edited and photographed original works for digital adjudication, with the goal to showcase great technical skill and artistic vision.)

In 2016, volunteer art and writing professionals helped us judge a record 7,259 entries from teens in public and private schools in grades 7-12 in Harris County.

Recruitment for judges is underway. We are seeking qualified individuals who are teachers, administrators, faculty members and professional artists and writers to evaluate student works and recognize them with Gold and Silver Key awards and honorable mentions.

If you’d like to help, please visit the following sites to enroll:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Writing2017 for writing,
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Art2017 for art.

Art adjudication will take place on site Jan. 6, 2017 from 8:30 am – 4 p.m. (free covered parking available, lunch will be provided). Writing adjudication will take place Jan. 2-13, 2017 online (with onsite adjudication to take place at HCDE Jan. 6, 2017 between 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

We hope you’ll consider getting involved regionally with Scholastic Art & Writing through submitting and judging.  It’s inspiring and rewarding!

About the blogger:
Andrea Segraves served in the public school system for 14 years as a teacher and an administrator before being named the current Director of the Teaching and Learning Center for HCDE. She is a boy-mom who spends her extra time at the ball fields and reading educational literature.