The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards recently kicked off the Art.Write.Now.DC exhibition at the U.S. Department of Education on Sept. 15 showcasing art and writing from 33 Harris County students. This regional highlight also showcases the efforts of Harris County Department of Education to enrich the local community with the arts and to encourage students to be part of the Scholastic Awards’ legacy.

Supported by the HCDE Board of Trustees and their respective school districts, 22 Harris County students traveled to Washington D.C. on Sept. 15 to view their artwork on display and receive recognition for their creativity and talent. Additionally, Aldine ISD art teacher Birgit Langhammer attended the event to represent and pay tribute to her student Freddy Diaz, a senior in Aldine ISD who passed away in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

Each year, the Art.Write.Now program features the year-long exhibition as well as a touring exhibition showcasing original works by teens from across the country. Curated, produced and presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the nonprofit which administers the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, each exhibition showcases a selection of inspiring and innovative work by teens from across the country who received national honors in 2017.

Exhibition Location and Dates

• Write.Now.DC 2017–18:

           – Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of Education, Sept. 15, 2017– July 31, 2018

• Write.Now.Tour 2017–18:

           -Tulsa, OK, Center for Creativity, Tulsa Community College, Oct. 2–Oct. 28, 2017
           -Lexington, KY, The Living Arts & Science Center, Nov. 10, 2017–Dec. 26, 2017
           -Elmira, NY, The Arnot Art Museum, Jan. 12–Feb. 24, 2018
           -Youngstown, OH, The Butler Institute of American Art, Apr. 1–June 3, 2018

The students who attended are Samantha Kelly, Houston ISD; Karen Flores, Pasadena ISD; Grace Sanders, St. John’s School; Emma Pulaski, Episcopal High School; Rachel Koch, Episcopal High School; Summer Elliott, Clear Creek ISD; Allyson Su, Katy ISD; Helen Wang, Pearland ISD; Sarah Hambly, Spring Branch ISD; Allison Maeker, Klein ISD; Sri Varanasi, Katy ISD; Jennifer Castillo, Aldine ISD; Ashley Liu, Klein ISD; Edward Bustos, Cy-Fair ISD; Savannah Moore, Humble ISD; Franklin Nwora, KIPP; Chimi Abuede, Alief ISD; Sasha Vermeil, Episcopal High School; Mia Sanchez, Klein ISD; Alexandra Bellon, Tomball ISD; Saranna Zhang, Spring Branch ISD; and Jayasurya Dileep, Klein ISD.

For more information on the Art.Write.Now program, visit www.artandwriting.org/what-we-do/art-write-now/. For information on submitting works to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, visit www.hcde-texas.org/scholastic.

Photos from Art.Write.Now.DC

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