Thomas Jefferson High School Art Students Receive Scholastic Art Gold Key Awards

Two talented Thomas Jefferson High School Art students, Richard Houston and Nathan Dunphy, earned Gold Key awards in the 2018-19 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. The students’ work was on display at CCAC North, and they were honored at a special awards ceremony there on February 23, 2019. The Gold Key awards are the highest regional-level awards and are given to the most outstanding artwork submissions. Both students’ work will move on to the national competition and be considered for the national Gold Medal Award.

In addition to his Gold Key award, Richard Houston was also named as an American Vision Award finalist and was presented with a $50 check along with his award. The American Vision Award finalist is bestowed upon the five most extraordinary artist submissions in the Pittsburgh Region for the Scholastic Art Awards Competition. Richard will now be considered for the American Vision Medal in New York City.

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7–12. Panelists look for works that best exemplify originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision. Students submitted approximately 1,600 works of visual art to the Scholastic Awards for the Pittsburgh Region, and approximately 400 of the works were celebrated at a local exhibition at CCAC North through the month of February 2019.