Every year, the Minnesota Scholastic Art Awards present prizes and scholarships to artistically distinguished students. This year, fifteen Benilde St. Margaret’s students have entered in the competition, some of whom went on to achieve the highest distinction.

The MSAA presents three awards: The Honorable Mention, the Silver Key, and the Gold Key. Honorable Mention recipients, do not have the privilege of continuing on through the competition. Gold and Silver Key recipients can have their work featured in an exhibition at the Perpich Center for Arts Education in Golden Valley, MN, as well as participation in the second tier of competition; winners of that will advance to the national competition in New York.

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This year, the MSAA received 2300 pieces of artwork and awarded 179 Gold Keys, 209 Silver Keys, and 346 Honorable Mentions. Below is a list of BSM award recipients and their respective awards: Mari Larsen (Gold Key x2), Nia Garret (Gold Key), Jonathan Paquette (Honorable Mention), Doreen Liu (Gold Key), Griffen Hueler (Silver Key), Ana Grace Alvarado (Honorable Mention), Megan Coffel (Honorable Mention), Jacklyn Cooney (Honorable Mention), Nia Garrett (Honorable Mention), Sarah Hoesley (Honorable Mention), Bailey Howard (Honorable Mention), Meredith Iten (Honorable Mention), Jeremy Pastir (Honorable Mention x2), Jack Swanson (Honorable Mention), Sophie Weber (Honorable Mention).

Mari Larsen, a junior received two Gold Keys for her digital pieces, “Jawbones” and “Daffodils.” “I’m excited that I got these awards, but I don’t really know what to do next,” Larsen said.

Senior, Jeremy Pastir entered two pieces, “Hugo Strange” and “Walter White.” “I’m kinda disappointed that I got two Honorable Mentions this year when I got two Silver Keys last year, but I’m still grateful that I got recognized at all,” Pastir said. All the artwork will be available for viewing on the MSAA Flickr Gallery February 7.