Upper School Students Awarded for Photography

As we conclude our series on this year's Scholastic Art and Writing Regional Awards (SAWA), we want to recognize several of our Upper School photographers.

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards is a prestigious program annually recognizing students' artistic and writing achievements nationwide. Students initially compete at the regional level, submitting their work across various categories like Photography, Sculpture, Short Story, and Ceramics. Winning a Gold Key at this stage propels them to the national level and represents the highest level of recognition for creativity and excellence.

• Hao "Miranda" L. '25 received two Gold Keys this year for her Digital Art piece "Forward" and in Photography for "Another View."
• Ruozhen "Sophia" R. '26 earned a Silver Key in Photography for "Water Splash" and two honorable mentions for "Path in Forest" and "Starry Lights".
• Sydney S. '24 was awarded a Gold Key in Photography for "Lost Down Below."

Miranda recounted the inspiration behind her award-winning photographs. "Another View" stemmed from a moment of perspective shift during a photography club outing with her mother, where she found a unique angle amidst the crowd. "Forward" captured a spontaneous beach scene with an egret against a backdrop of harmonious colors. Surprised by the awards, Miranda credited her mother's influence for her passion for photography. "I have never received professional training. Most pictures were taken because the beauty came to me—to my camera—and it's just very impolite to ignore them," she shared.

Sophia reflects on the success of her photos, notably "Water Splash," sharing, "Among all the photos, it stands out as one of my proudest achievements this year." Drawing from lessons in Photography II, Sophia applied techniques learned in class, such as techniques for capturing quick instances, appreciation for the serene essence of nature, and exploring unconventional methods to achieve unique and striking effects. "Winning awards for these photos fills me with an indescribable sense of accomplishment and gratitude."

Sydney's passion for photography fuels her creativity. She explains, "I have always loved taking photographs of nature, so being in a canyon felt like the perfect opportunity to capture a photo of my perspective from there." Reflecting on her recent accolade, she expresses, "It feels amazing to have won an award, for it shows that others appreciated my photo, and my hard work paid off."

Congratulations to the students, and good luck to all the Gold Key winners as they continue at the national level. We look forward to sharing more details with you next week as we await news on our National standings.

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