Governor’s Students Shine in the 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

We are thrilled to celebrate the incredible achievements of Governor’s Academy students in this year’s Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the nation’s premier program recognizing teen artists and writers. Our students brought home an astounding 52 awards—38 in art and 14 in writing—showcasing the depth, talent, and creativity across the Academy.

Most notably, Renee Tse ’26 earned a prestigious Gold Medal for her personal essay portfolio, “all the love we never named.” Her achievement reflects the Academy’s commitment to nurturing thoughtful, expressive young creators.

Writing Award Winners:

Gold Medal

• Chanel Jiang ’28 – Short Story: “The Dog in the Suitcase”

• Renee Tse ’26 – Personal Essay: “The Distance We Carry”

• Nicholas Zhuo ’27 – Personal Essay: “Under the Sakura Tree”

Silver Medal

• Emaad Virk ’28 – Screenplay: “Road Trip”

• Jerry Zhang ’27 – Flash Fiction: “Ice”

• Lucy Shows ’28 – Poetry: “Dropout’s Lament”

Honorable Mention

• Eva Biagioni ’28 – Personal Essay: “Maternal as an Adjective”

• Bella Duong ’27 – Personal Essay: “Leftover Spaghetti”

• Chanel Jiang ’28 – Personal Essay: “Viridian Green”

• Renee Tse ’26 – Poetry: “goodnight is the name Grandmother gave to absence”

• Bella Duong ’27 – Poetry: “Prenthetical Feelings”

• Bill Li ’28 – Poetry: “When Thou Art Wondering”

• Lucy Shows ’28 – Poetry: “Climbing Trees”

Art Award Winners:

Gold Medal

• Haiyun (Kristina) Sun ’27 – Photography

• Nicholas Zhuo ’27 – Photography (3 awards)

• Joshua Xiang ’26 – Painting

• Alex Wang ’27 – Photography (3 awards)

• Jenny Hwang ’27 – Painting

• Jenny Hwang ’27 – Photography (3 awards)

• Joshua Xiang ’26 – Portfolio

Silver Medal

• Saeeda Amiri ’27 – Drawing

• Suma Bogelli ’28 – Photography

• Nixie Gerdes ’27 – Ceramics

• Joshua Xiang ’26 – Portfolio

• Haiyun (Kristina) Sun ’27 – Photography

• Tiger Xiong ’27 – Drawing (2 awards)

• Nicholas Zhuo ’27 – Photography (3 awards)

• Alex Wang ’27 – Photography

• Hyun Cho ’27 – Sculpture

Honorable Mention

• Lucy Bonner ’28 – Ceramics

• Hayden Ebbrell ’27 – Ceramics

• Saanvi Nidadavolu ’26 – Ceramics

• Haiyun (Kristina) Sun ’27 – Photography

• Joshua Xiang ’26 – Painting + Architecture & Industrial Design

• Jerry Zhang ’27 – Drawing

• Nicholas Zhuo ’27 – Photography

• Alex Wang ’27 – Photography (3 awards)

• Jenny Hwang ’27 – Photography (4 awards)

“The Scholastic Awards provide a stage for young artists and writers to share their voices,” said a Govs faculty advisor. “This year’s winners remind us of the remarkable talent, dedication, and imagination that our students bring to every project.”

Join us in congratulating these exceptional artists and writers on their well-deserved recognition! Their work embodies the creativity, courage, and curiosity that define the Governor’s community.

View the award-winning artwork here.