Last month, Harker middle and upper school students received 256 regional awards in the 2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, comprising 107 awards for art and 149 for literature. All of Harker’s 30 Gold Key winners are eligible for national awards, which will be announced in March. A national ceremony to honor all of this year’s national award winners will take place in June.
The full list of winners (some named multiple times to denote the number of awards they received) is as follows:
Art
Gold Key
Iris Cai, grade 10
Iris Fu, grade 11
Ramit Goyal, grade 11
Angelina Hu, grade 11
Siddhi Jain, grade 11
Raeanne Li, grade 8
Yueyao Li, grade 10
Sydney Ling, grade 11
Sophia Liu, grade 10
Ashley Mo, grade 9
Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12
Teresa Song, grade 7
Claire Su, grade 11
Alena Suleiman, grade 11
Cynthia Wang, grade 11
Benjamin Xia, grade 9
Austina Xu, grade 12
Connie Xu, grade 9
Selina Xu, grade 11
Alison Yang, grade 10
Albert Yao, grade 9
Linda Zeng, grade 9
Elizabeth Zhang, grade 8
Silver Key
Iris Cai, grade 10
Jillian Cheng, grade 8
Laurel Davies, grade 11
Iris Fu, grade 11
Ariana Goetting, grade 11
Ramit Goyal, grade 11
Joy Hu, grade 9
Trisha Iyer, grade 11
Siddhi Jain, grade 11
Ally Lee, grade 12
Catherine Li, grade 11
Colin Li, grade 8
Raeanne Li, grade 8
Yueyao Li, grade 10
Sydney Ling, grade 11
Desiree Luo, grade 11
Ashley Mo, grade 9
Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12
Julie Shi, grade 11
Teresa Song, grade 7
Alena Suleiman, grade 11
Brittany Tsui, grade 11
Cynthia Wang, grade 11
Michelle Wei, grade 11
Isabella Wu, grade 7
Vivian Wu, grade 8
Austina Xu, grade 12
Celina Xu, grade 9
Selina Xu, grade 11
Alison Yang, grade 10
Audrey Yang, grade 9
Albert Yao, grade 9
Linda Zeng, grade 9
Evan Zhang, grade 9
Sophia Zhu, grade 10
Honorable Mention
Ananya Bammi, grade 12
Iris Cai, grade 10
Shareen Chahal, grade 11
Jessica Chen, grade 8
Karina Chen, grade 12
Nanxi (Nancy) Chen, grade 8
Keren Eisenberg, grade 10
Mirabelle Feng, grade 10
Iris Fu, grade 11
Ariana Goetting, grade 11
Ramit Goyal, grade 11
Angelina Hu, grade 11
Trisha Iyer, grade 11
Siddhi Jain, grade 11
Ally Lee, grade 12
Catherine Li, grade 11
Emma Li, grade 9
Raeanne Li, grade 8
Yueyao Li, grade 10
Helena Liang, grade 8
Sydney Ling, grade 11
Sophia Liu, grade 10
Claire Luo, grade 11
Desiree Luo, grade 11
Ashley Mo, grade 9
Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12
Smrithi Sambamurthy, grade 12
Julie Shi, grade 11
Teresa Song, grade 7
Claire Su, grade 11
Alena Suleiman, grade 11
Kurtis Tong, grade 12
Cynthia Wang, grade 11
Michelle Wei, grade 11
Isabella Wu, grade 7
Vivian Wu, grade 8
Austina Xu, grade 12
Celina Xu, grade 9
Connie Xu, grade 9
Olivia Xu, grade 11
Selina Xu, grade 11
Alison Yang, grade 10
Cecilia Yang, grade 11
Chloee Yang, grade 9
Albert Yao, grade 9
Linda Zeng, grade 9
Elizabeth Zhang, grade 8
Katelyn Zhao, grade 11
Sophia Zhu, grade 10
Literature
Gold Key
Iris Cai, grade 10, Poetry
Iris Cai, grade 10, Poetry
Emma Gao, grade 11, Critical Essay
Helen Gu, grade 9, Poetry
Helen Gu, grade 9, Poetry
Helen Gu, grade 9, Poetry
Lindsay Li, grade 9, Poetry
Sydney Ling, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir
Ashley Mo, grade 9, Poetry
Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12, Writing Portfolio
Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12, Poetry
Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12, Writing Portfolio
Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12, Poetry
Ananya Pradhan, grade 9, Poetry
Jessica Wang, grade 10, Flash Fiction
Austina Xu, grade 12, Poetry
Alison Yang, grade 10, Poetry
Albert Yao, grade 9, Journalism
Linda Zeng, grade 9, Personal Essay & Memoir
Linda Zeng, grade 9, Short Story
Ariel Zhang, grade 9, Poetry
Ellie Zhou, grade 8, Short Story
Silver Key
Tyler Beede, grade 12, Short Story
Iris Cai, grade 10, Poetry
Iris Cai, grade 10, Poetry
Iris Cai, grade 10, Poetry
Felix Chen, grade 10, Flash Fiction
Jillian Cheng, grade 8, Short Story
Emma Gao, grade 11, Journalism
Helen Gu, grade 9, Short Story
Helen Gu, grade 9, Poetry
Helen Gu, grade 9, Poetry
Joy Hu, grade 9, Critical Essay
Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Humor
Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Poetry
Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Short Story
Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Poetry
Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Poetry
Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Journalism
Eden Kelly, grade 9, Critical Essay
Catherine Li, grade 11, Critical Essay
Catherine Li, grade 11, Critical Essay
Lindsay Li, grade 9, Poetry
Lindsay Li, grade 9, Poetry
Lindsay Li, grade 9, Poetry
Sydney Ling, grade 11, Poetry
Sydney Ling, grade 11, Poetry
Desiree Luo, grade 11, Journalism
Anaya Mandal, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir
Katerina Matta, grade 10, Critical Essay
Edis Mesic, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir
Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12, Poetry
Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12, Poetry
Ananya Pradhan, grade 9, Personal Essay & Memoir
Ameera Ramzan, grade 8, Critical Essay
Ameera Ramzan, grade 8, Critical Essay
Ashley Ruan, grade 12, Short Story
Tanisha Singh, grade 11, Humor
Kairui Sun, grade 9, Flash Fiction
Cynthia Wang, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir
Jessica Wang, grade 10, Flash Fiction
Jessica Wang, grade 10, Poetry
Selina Wang, grade 9, Flash Fiction
Selina Wang, grade 9, Flash Fiction
Michelle Wei, grade 11, Critical Essay
Austina Xu, grade 12, Critical Essay
Selina Xu, grade 11, Poetry
Alison Yang, grade 10, Personal Essay & Memoir
Tiantong Yang, grade 9, Short Story
Albert Yao, grade 9, Critical Essay
Medha Yarlagadda, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir
Ella Yee, grade 11, Critical Essay
Linda Zeng, grade 9, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Ariel Zhang, grade 9, Poetry
Evan Zhang, grade 9, Flash Fiction
Honorable Mention
Varun Bhupathi, grade 10, Critical Essay
Iris Cai, grade 10, Poetry
Iris Cai, grade 10, Poetry
Ainslie Chen, grade 10, Flash Fiction
Varun Fuloria, grade 11, Critical Essay
Varun Fuloria, grade 11, Critical Essay
Emma Gao, grade 11, Critical Essay
Emma Gao, grade 11, Critical Essay
Cyrus Ghane, grade 9, Flash Fiction
Ariana Goetting, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir
Ramit Goyal, grade 11, Critical Essay
Helen Gu, grade 9, Poetry
Shayla He, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir
Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Critical Essay
Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Poetry
Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Poetry
Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Humor
Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Poetry
Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Poetry
Siddhi Jain, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir
David Jang, grade 11, Journalism
Ally Lee, grade 12, Flash Fiction
Catherine Li, grade 11, Critical Essay
Catherine Li, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir
Lindsay Li, grade 9, Flash Fiction
Lindsay Li, grade 9, Poetry
Lindsay Li, grade 9, Poetry
Lindsay Li, grade 9, Poetry
Lindsay Li, grade 9, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Raeanne Li, grade 8, Poetry
Raeanne Li, grade 8, Flash Fiction
Raeanne Li, grade 8, Poetry
Jingjing Liang, grade 9, Flash Fiction
Daniel Lin, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir
Sydney Ling, grade 11, Poetry
Sydney Ling, grade 11, Critical Essay
Sydney Ling, grade 11, Critical Essay
Sydney Ling, grade 11, Critical Essay
Sydney Ling, grade 11, Poetry
Claire Luo, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir
Spencer Mak, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir
Katerina Matta, grade 10, Poetry
Katerina Matta, grade 10, Journalism
Katerina Matta, grade 10, Critical Essay
Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12, Poetry
Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12, Personal Essay & Memoir
Late last month, 166 Harker students were named regional winners in the 2022 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, with 75 art awards and 91 writing awards. Among them were 28 Gold Key winners, 49 Silver Key winners and 89 Honorable Mentions. All Gold Key winners are eligible to win national awards, which will be announced in March, and national medalists will be invited to a national ceremony in New York City, scheduled for June.
The complete list of Harker winners is as follows:
Art Awards
Vivian Vivian
11
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Digital Art
Bodies
Vivian Bi
11
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Painting
Bedroom
Shareen Chahal
10
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Drawing & Illustration
A Smile’s Power
Shareen Chahal
10
Harker Upper School
Gold Key
Digital Art
My Reflection Isn’t Me
Karina Chen
11
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Comic Art
Tint of Life
Karina Chen
11
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Digital Art
Wild Fire
Karina Chen
11
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Digital Art
Vomit
Alice Feng
12
Harker Upper School
Gold Key
Photography
Worlds Collide
Alice Feng
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Photography
Tree of Life
Alice Feng
12
Harker Upper School
Gold Key
Photography
Smile! You’re on camera!
Alice Feng
12
Harker Upper School
Gold Key
Photography
Past Present Blurred
Alice Feng
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Photography
Chains of the Pandemic
Alice Feng
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Photography
A Sliver of Another World
Alice Feng
12
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Photography
Tropical Tint
Alice Feng
12
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Photography
Shaken Not Stirred
Alice Feng
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Photography
Watched
Sania Gupta
10
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Drawing & Illustration
Memories
Sonya He
11
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Painting
“Three Strangers Inside the Subway”
Sonya He
11
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Painting
The Dreamer
Angelina Hu
10
Harker Upper School
Gold Key
Digital Art
Fish Cage
Angelina Hu
10
Harker Upper School
Gold Key
Drawing & Illustration
Emergence
Ally Lee
11
Harker Upper School
Gold Key
Digital Art
Joint Custody
Yueyao Li
9
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Drawing & Illustration
Eleven-Headed Guanyin
Yueyao Li
9
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Drawing & Illustration
Hermaphrodite
Michelle Liu
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Painting
Memento Mori
Michelle Liu
12
Harker Upper School
Gold Key
Painting
Waiting
Michelle Liu
12
Harker Upper School
Gold Key
Painting
Family Birthday
Sophia Liu
9
Harker Upper School
Gold Key
Digital Art
Airplanes With Feathers
Claire Luo
10
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Photography
Twilight
Claire Luo
10
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Photography
Downpour
Claire Luo
10
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Photography
Anyone There?
Claire Luo
10
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Photography
Next in Line
Claire Luo
10
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Photography
Last Moments of Glory
Desiree Luo
10
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Painting
Reflection
Desiree Luo
10
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Painting
Tenacity
Aastha Mangla
11
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Drawing & Illustration
Into Wonderland
Brenna Ren
8
Harker Middle School
Silver Key
Drawing & Illustration
Flowering Hope
Brenna Ren
8
Harker Middle School
Silver Key
Drawing & Illustration
The Dress
Sophia Shan
11
Harker Upper School
Gold Key
Digital Art
Vertigo
Alena Suleiman
10
Harker Upper School
Gold Key
Sculpture
Behind the Fairy Tales
Alena Suleiman
10
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Sculpture
Gossamer Skeleton
Alena Suleiman
10
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Sculpture
Mimicry
Alysa Suleiman
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Film & Animation
A Taste of Home
Emily Tan
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
“Editorial Cartoon sponsored by The Herb Block Foundation”
March on the Capitol
Nicole Tian
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Sculpture
Through the Looking Glass
Nicole Tian
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Expanded Projects
Pupa
Nicole Tian
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Drawing & Illustration
Still Life
Nicole Tian
12
Harker Upper School
Gold Key
Expanded Projects
Marital Bliss
Nicole Tian
12
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Sculpture
Saving Face
Kurtis Tong
11
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Painting
Bred
Aimee Wang
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Drawing & Illustration
Shining
Aimee Wang
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Painting
High Summer
Aimee Wang
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Painting
Liminal Spaces
Kaitlyn Wang
10
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Drawing & Illustration
Creations of Mankind
Nicholas Wei
11
Harker Upper School
Gold Key
Photography
Living Infinity
Esther Wu
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Art Portfolio
The Beauty of Nature
Austina Xu
11
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Printmaking
Harbor
Austina Xu
11
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Painting
White Calla Lily Flowers
Kathy Xu
11
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Photography
“Avocado (half 161 Cal) Toast (1 slice)
Kathy Xu
11
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Photography
Race You To The Top
Olivia Xu
10
Harker Upper School
Gold Key
Photography
Wildflower
Cecilia Yang
10
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Drawing & Illustration
Lingering Warmth
Alina Yuan
12
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Painting
Beach Days
Alina Yuan
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Drawing & Illustration
Jellyfish
Alina Yuan
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Drawing & Illustration
Beauty of Smile
Alina Yuan
12
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Comic Art
Glowing Path of the Generations
Alina Yuan
12
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Comic Art
Recolorized
Alina Yuan
12
Harker Upper School
Gold Key
Photography
Hope cannot be quarantined!
Katelyn Zhao
10
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Drawing & Illustration
Untitled
Emily Zhou
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Photography
Gasping Garden
Emily Zhou
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Photography
Praying for Rain
Emily Zhou
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Photography
Friend and Foe
Gloria Zhu
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Drawing & Illustration
Confronted
Gloria Zhu
12
Harker Upper School
Silver Key
Expanded Projects
Restless
Gloria Zhu
12
Harker Upper School
Honorable Mention
Painting
Corner of the Room
Writing Awards:
NAME
GRADE
TITLE
CATEGORY
AWARD(S)
Malar Bala
12
Unarranged
Short Story
Honorable Mention
Ava Bhowmik
8
Longevity Noodles
Personal Essay & Memoir
Silver Key
Iris Cai
9
fantasia through the keys
Poetry
Silver Key
Iris Cai
9
Ode to Sweet Tomatoes
Poetry
Silver Key
Iris Cai
9
I Want To Be an Author
Personal Essay & Memoir
Honorable Mention
Iris Cai
9
the depths below
Poetry
Gold Key
Shareen Chahal
10
Rosaline
Poetry
Honorable Mention
Shareen Chahal
10
Cage of Expectations
Poetry
Silver Key
Brian Chen
11
The Man
Personal Essay & Memoir
Honorable Mention
Catherine Feng
12
On Mercy
Poetry
Honorable Mention
Varun Fuloria
10
Addressing the Real Immigration Threat
Critical Essay
Silver Key
Varun Fuloria
10
Diversity in Journalism: A News Beginning
Critical Essay
Honorable Mention
Varun Fuloria
10
Not Much to Like: Social Media’s Power and Problems
Critical Essay
Honorable Mention
Emma Gao
10
Lessons from a Bug Bite
Personal Essay & Memoir
Honorable Mention
Emma Gao
10
Youth Homeless in Santa Clara County Struggle Unseen
Journalism
Silver Key
Emma Gao
10
Women in The Odyssey: Wielding Their Power in an Oppressive Society
Critical Essay
Silver Key
Helen Gu
8
Dictionary Words
Poetry
Gold Key
Dyllan Han
11
Fading Light
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Silver Key
Trisha Iyer
10
Blood & Bone
Poetry
Honorable Mention
Trisha Iyer
10
girl•friend
Poetry
Honorable Mention
Trisha Iyer
10
Language Lessons
Poetry
Honorable Mention
Trisha Iyer
10
RBG
Poetry
Silver Key
Trisha Iyer
10
Great-grandchildren
Poetry
Silver Key
Trisha Iyer
10
The Names
Poetry
Honorable Mention
Trisha Iyer
10
Matriarchs, Proceeding Like Queens
Poetry
Silver Key
David Jang
10
Afghanistan: A New Entry to America’s Growing List of Embarrassments
Journalism
Silver Key
Laurie Jin
11
Earth’s Climate Before the Industrial Revolution
Journalism
Honorable Mention
Michelle Jin
11
Embracing Neurodiversity: An Abecedarian
Poetry
Honorable Mention
Michelle Jin
11
The Authoritarian’s Message
Flash Fiction
Honorable Mention
Michelle Jin
11
Aging: Grasping Onto New Identities
Personal Essay & Memoir
Honorable Mention
Lindsay Li
8
the solace of the dark (where you once walked)
Flash Fiction
Honorable Mention
Lindsay Li
8
glass & crystal
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Gold Key
Lindsay Li
8
Hansel and Gretel as Told by a Bird (and a Cat, I Guess)
Humor
Silver Key
Raeanne Li
7
Greenish
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Honorable Mention
Sydney Ling
10
the art of a movie still
Poetry
Silver Key
Sydney Ling
10
She’s a Maneater: Jennifer’s Body and How the Boy-Run Media Makes Women Seem Crazy
Critical Essay
Gold Key
Sydney Ling
10
To All the Grades I’ve Gotten Before: As an Asian American Student in the Bay Area, I Never Feel Like I’m Good Enough
Critical Essay
Gold Key
Sydney Ling
10
Generation Zine: The Zine Scene and Everything In-Between
Journalism
Gold Key
Desiree Luo
10
Opinion: Before paying college athletes, treat them as students
Journalism
Silver Key
Anika Maji
10
The Waiting Game
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Honorable Mention
Anika Maji
10
Beholden
Flash Fiction
Gold Key
Katerina Matta
9
Measured in Moments
Personal Essay & Memoir
Silver Key
Sarah Fathima Mohammed
11
Swimming Lessons
Poetry
Gold Key
Kabir Ramzan
10
Environmental Influences on the Aztec and Egyptian Civilizations in Society and Religion
Critical Essay
Honorable Mention
Lily Shi
8
Two Truths and a Lie
Flash Fiction
Gold Key
Ishani Sood
10
Bhaiya
Personal Essay & Memoir
Honorable Mention
Alysa Suleiman
12
Confronting Conformity, Redefining Identity
Critical Essay
Silver Key
Alysa Suleiman
12
When the Sun Drowned
Short Story
Gold Key
Alysa Suleiman
12
Pulse of the people: Not a new issue
Journalism
Honorable Mention
Kairui Sun
8
Censorship
Short Story
Honorable Mention
Kairui Sun
8
Snapshots
Poetry
Silver Key
Andrea Thia
12
Something I Wrote During Quarantine, But Never Knew I Loved
Poetry
Honorable Mention
Nicole Tian
12
Double-consciousness And the Outside Gaze in The Bluest Eye: Toni Morrison’s Gendering of W.E.B. Dubois’ Black Selfhood
Critical Essay
Honorable Mention
Sara Wan
11
Pork and Cabbage Wonton Soup
Personal Essay & Memoir
Honorable Mention
Cynthia Wang
10
That One Girl
Short Story
Honorable Mention
Cynthia Wang
10
Oceans Apart
Short Story
Honorable Mention
Cynthia Wang
10
when they grow up
Poetry
Gold Key
Cynthia Wang
10
Truly Trinity
Flash Fiction
Honorable Mention
Kaitlyn Wang
10
Little Philosophers in the Garden
Personal Essay & Memoir
Honorable Mention
Arianna Weaver
12
Making Amends
Short Story
Silver Key
Nicholas Wei
11
The Dust in the Wake
Personal Essay & Memoir
Gold Key
Nicholas Wei
11
Come, Child
Poetry
Honorable Mention
Austina Xu
11
A Realism of Romance in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 138
Critical Essay
Honorable Mention
Austina Xu
11
An Examination of the Portrayal of Religion in “Dover Beach,” “The Second Coming,” and “Church Going”
Critical Essay
Honorable Mention
Austina Xu
11
Ode to the Kitchen God
Poetry
Honorable Mention
Kathy Xu
11
Black Lives Matter and Retail: The Commodification of Oppression
Critical Essay
Silver Key
Olivia Xu
10
Spinning with Positivity
Journalism
Silver Key
Selina Xu
10
Childhood Travels
Personal Essay & Memoir
Honorable Mention
Fiona Yan
10
The Light in the Darkness
Flash Fiction
Honorable Mention
Alison Yang
9
Save Money, Live Better
Flash Fiction
Silver Key
Alison Yang
9
Ditching the Maps
Personal Essay & Memoir
Silver Key
Cecilia Yang
10
Empress Wu Zetian and Joan of Arc: Women Who Rose to Power in a Patriarchal Society
Critical Essay
Honorable Mention
Cecilia Yang
10
The Observatory
Short Story
Honorable Mention
Chloee Yang
8
Fallen Angel
Poetry
Silver Key
Irene Yuan
12
Three Vignettes
Short Story
Honorable Mention
Ariel Zhang
8
white gold
Poetry
Silver Key
Ariel Zhang
8
goldfinch
Poetry
Honorable Mention
William Zhang
10
Strength, Cunning, and Courage: Qualities Most Valued in a Male Hero in the Odyssey
Critical Essay
Honorable Mention
William Zhang
10
“Utopian” Absolutism In The Tempest
Critical Essay
Silver Key
William Zhang
10
Comparing and Contrasting the Value of Ibn Battuta’s and Zheng He’s Cross-Cultural Exchanges
Critical Essay
Honorable Mention
Tina Tianjiao Zhong
12
Indifferent Redeemers: How Hawthorne, Fitzgerald, and Lahiri’s Protagonists Love Indifferent Social Insiders.
Critical Essay
Silver Key
Emily Zhou
12
Grandma
Personal Essay & Memoir
Honorable Mention
Emily Zhou
12
Climate Change: Ocean Blues
Personal Essay & Memoir
Honorable Mention
Sabrina Zhu
11
Frankenstein as a Parable: Analyzing the Consequences of Ambition and Advice
Critical Essay
Honorable Mention
Sabrina Zhu
11
Finding purpose through filmmaking: Ajay Madala captures stories and exhibits his individuality in movies
Journalism
Honorable Mention
Sally Zhu
11
Sestina After 20 Months
Poetry
Honorable Mention
Sally Zhu
11
Slime and stickers for sale: Students take charge through small businesses
Rising junior Sarah Fathima Mohammed today was named one of five National Student Poets of 2021. The National Student Poets Program, which is run by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, selects five young poets each year from different regions of the country as National Student Poets. The program was started in 2012 by Michelle Obama and the Presidential Arts Committee and is open to students in grades 10 and 11 who have received a gold or silver medal in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. After being selected, National Student Poets spend the next year promoting poetry in their communities through works such as service projects, poetry readings and workshops as well as attending a variety of events.
The regional winners of the 2021 Bay Area Scholastic Art & Writing Awards were announced last week, and Harker students pulled in 189 awards (73 in art and 116 in writing). Sophomore Sarah Mohammed’s poem, “Homeland, Gone,” was selected as one of five nominees for the Bay Area Writing Region’s National American Voices Medal, the winner of which will be announced in March, along with all of this year’s national award winners.
Harker won a total of 42 Gold Keys, 54 Silver Keys and 93 Honorable Mentions. Gold Key winners are eligible to win national awards, and all national award winners will be honored at a ceremony in June.
The complete list of Harker winners is as follows:
Art:
Name
Grade
Category
Award
Anoushka Buch
12
Design
Silver Key
Anoushka Buch
12
Design
Honorable Mention
Shareen Chahal
12
Photography
Gold Key
Dawson Chen
9
Drawing & Illustration
Honorable Mention
Karina Chen
11
Film & Animation
Silver Key
Karina Chen
10
Comic Art
Gold Key
Alice Feng
10
Digital Art
Honorable Mention
Alice Feng
11
Photography
Honorable Mention
Alice Feng
11
Photography
Silver Key
Alice Feng
11
Photography
Honorable Mention
Alice Feng
11
Photography
Gold Key
Alice Feng
11
Photography
Honorable Mention
Alice Feng
11
Photography
Honorable Mention
Alice Feng
11
Photography
Honorable Mention
Alice Feng
11
Sculpture
Gold Key
Alice Feng
11
Fashion
Silver Key
Mirabelle Feng
11
Fashion
Silver Key
Mirabelle Feng
8
Photography
Silver Key
Sonya He
8
Painting
Honorable Mention
Reagan Ka
10
Painting
Honorable Mention
Reagan Ka
11
Expanded Projects
Honorable Mention
Reagan Ka
11
Sculpture
Honorable Mention
Reagan Ka
11
Design
Honorable Mention
Ally Lee
11
Design
Honorable Mention
Michelle Liu
10
Digital Art
Silver Key
Michelle Liu
11
Digital Art
Honorable Mention
Michelle Liu
11
Design
Honorable Mention
Aastha Mangla
11
Expanded Projects
Silver Key
Sarah Fathima Mohammed
10
Painting
Honorable Mention
Muthiah Panchanatham
10
Digital Art
Silver Key
Julie Shi
9
Digital Art
Silver Key
Claire Su
9
Digital Art
Silver Key
Alysa Suleiman
9
Painting
Honorable Mention
Alysa Suleiman
11
Photography
Honorable Mention
Alysa Suleiman
11
Photography
Honorable Mention
Alysa Suleiman
11
Photography
Honorable Mention
Emily Tan
11
Photography
Silver Key
Emily Tan
11
“Editorial Cartoon sponsored by The Herb Block Foundation”
Honorable Mention
Nicole Tian
11
“Editorial Cartoon sponsored by The Herb Block Foundation”
Nine Harker students won national medals in this year’s Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, one of which is the first Harker middle schooler to receive a national medal in the contest.
Trisha Iyer, grade 8, received a silver medal for her poem, “Argan (T)oil.”
Senior Michael Tang was a gold medal winner for his piece, “The Pugilist.” Seniors Annie Ma and Ashna Reddy; junior Betsy Tian; sophomores Emily Tan, Esther Wu and Gloria Zhu; and freshman Austina Xu were silver medal winners, with Zhu winning a pair of medals, one for a hoodie design she created for the class of 2022.
National medalists are traditionally invited to participate in the national events celebration in New York City. This year’s events were unfortunately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but a virtual celebration has been planned for June 4.
On March 13, senior Raymond Banke and junior Kathy Fang were named national gold medalists in the 2019 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Banke won for his piece in the Future New category, titled “American Dreamers,” and Fang for her critical essay “A New Woman: A Rediscovery of Women’s Roles in Shakespeare’s The Tempest.” They are the first Harker students to receive the honor since Xinyi “Cherry” Xie ‘12 in 2012.
As national medalists, both students are now eligible to attend the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards national events in New York City in June. The national events include a ceremony at Carnegie Hall and an exhibition featuring the works of top honorees. Earlier this year, Banke received a total of 16 regional awards, including Gold Keys in printmaking, design and art portfolio, as well as Silver Keys in architectural and industrial design, sculpture, printmaking and photography. His nine honorable mentions were awarded for two works each in drawing and illustration and mixed media, as well as submissions in the art portfolio, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and architecture and industrial design categories. In addition to her Mold Medal, Fang also received a regional Gold Key for her essay and two honorable mentions for photography.
Three other students also received national recognition in the form of silver medals. Junior Eric Fang won in photography for his piece, titled “Into the Unknown”; Anna Gert, also a junior, won for her critical essay “Illnesses in Frankenstein: An Explication of Victor’s Recurring Sickness”; and senior Alexander Young’s “A Iaccian Sestina” won in the poetry category.
A total of 64 upper school students were recognized in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards this year, receiving regional Gold Keys, Silver Keys and honorable mentions.
Upper school students recognized in visual arts are:
Katelyn Chen, grade 11: Three honorable mentions (one for mixed media, two for drawing and illustration)
Elizaveta Egorova, grade 12: Three Gold Keys (one for digital media, two for design), three Silver Keys (digital art) and two honorable mentions (comic art and digital art)
Eric Fang, grade 11: Gold Key (photography)
Kathy Fang, grade 11: Two honorable mentions (photography)
Anna Gert, grade 11: Gold Key (painting)
Lilia Gonzales, grade 12: Gold Key (digital art)
Rose Guan, grade 12: Two honorable mentions (photography)
Ellen Guo, grade 11: Two honorable mentions (painting, and drawing and illustration)
Susan He, grade 12: Two Gold Keys (digital art), honorable mention (drawing and illustration)
Alexander Young, grade 12: Two Gold Keys (poetry, flash fiction), six honorable mentions (two for poetry, two for personal essay/memoir, humor, writing portfolio)
Katherine Zhang, grade 12: Three honorable mentions (journalism, two for poetry)
A previous version of this story mistakenly omitted Kathy Fang’s Gold Medal win as well as this year’s Silver Medal winners. Harker News apologizes for the error.
Earlier this week, several Harker students were named national medalists in the 2018 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Jacqueline He, grade 12, earned a gold medal for “Mollusk Threnody,” her entry in the poetry category. Junior Annabelle Perng was awarded a silver medal for her flash fiction piece, “Name Tag,” and Katherine Zhang, also grade 11, received a silver medal in the journalism category for her article, titled “Trump’s Proposed Budget Cuts Throw the Future of Research into Question.”
At the middle school level, eighth grader Michelle Liu was awarded two gold medals for her submissions in the drawing and illustration category, “The Feast of Harvest” and “Leisure Time.”
As national medalists, these students are invited to attend the national events this summer in New York City. Gold medalists are invited to the national ceremony at Carnegie Hall.
Congratulations to these students for receiving this remarkable recognition!
In late January, 63 upper school students received recognition in the 2018 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Since 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have recognized the work of middle and high school students in the visual and literary arts. Past awardees include Langston Hughes, Sylvia Plath and Topaz Winters.
Students who received Gold Keys, Silver Keys and honorable mentions will have their work featured at local events. A panel of luminaries will judge the work of Gold Key winners to determine who will receive national medals and travel to New York City for the National Ceremony.
This year’s awardees for literature are:
Emily Chen, grade 12: Three Gold Keys (critical essay, poetry, writing portfolio), two Silver Keys (poetry, short story), three honorable mentions (poetry)
Gwyneth Chen, grade 12: Silver Key (personal essay and memoir)
Aditi Ghalsasi, grade 10: Honorable mention (personal essay and memoir)
Sophia Gottfried, grade 9: Silver Key (poetry)
Rose Guan, grade 11: Silver Key (journalism)
Ellen Guo, grade 10: Gold Key (critical essay)
Aarzu Gupta, grade 10: Two honorable mentions (poetry, personal essay and memoir)
Mahika Halepete, grade 10: Two honorable mentions (journalism)
Jacqueline He, grade 12: Two Gold Keys (poetry, writing portfolio), two Silver Keys (poetry), four honorable mentions (poetry, science fiction and fantasy, two in short story)
Larissa Tyagi, grade 10: Gold Key (personal essay and memoir)
Joshua Valluru, grade 10: Gold Key (critical essay), Silver Key (critical essay) and honorable mention (personal essay and memoir)
Liana Wang, grade 12: Silver Key (poetry)
Shania Wang, grade 11: Silver Key (personal essay and memoir)
Kelsey Wu, grade 11: Two Silver Keys (critical essay)
Helen Yang, grade 11: Two Silver Keys (flash fiction)
Alexander Young, grade 11: Two honorable mentions (poetry)
Katherine Zhang, grade 11: Two Gold Keys (journalism), three Silver Keys (journalism) and three honorable mentions (flash fiction, journalism, and short story)
Tiffany Zhao, grade 11: Silver Key (personal essay and memoir) and honorable mention (critical essay)
Awardees in visual arts are:
Raymond Banke, grade 11: Two Gold Keys (design and mixed media), Silver Key (design), four honorable mentions (design, drawing and illustration and two for painting)
Anoushka Buch, grade 9: Three honorable mentions (drawing and illustration, digital art and photography)
Cynthia Chen, grade 10: Gold Key (photography), two Silver Keys (drawing and illustration, and photograph), two honorable mentions (printmaking and drawing and illustration)
Katrina Liou, grade 11: Silver Key (drawing and illustration), four honorable mentions (two for mixed media, two for drawing and illustration and one for editorial cartoon)
Raveena Panja, grade 12: Honorable mention (drawing and illustration)
Rani Sheth, grade 10: Honorable mention (drawing and illustration)
Catherine Wang, grade 11: Gold Key (drawing and illustration), two Silver Keys (drawing and illustration)
Elizabeth Yang, grade 11: Gold Key (painting)
Emma Yu, grade 12: Honorable mention (art portfolio)
Anna Wang, grade 11: one Gold Key (painting), two Silver Keys (design and painting), two honorable mentions (drawing and illustration)
Joshua Zhou, grade 10: Three honorable mentions (photography)