At BSM, several students were recently awarded with Minnesota Scholastic Art Awards for their original art pieces. The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, which started in 1923, is the most prestigious and longest running competition for students in the creative fields. Every year, BSM participates in this competition. Students submit all types of art, from ceramics sculptures to their photography or paintings.

This year, BSM had eleven winners. Senior Genevieve Larson and Junior Grace Ortizcazarin were both Gold Key award winners for their pieces. Silver Key Awards were given to Junior Marvin King and Sophomore Talia Loes. Then, Honorable Mentions were given to Seniors Amelia Beutz, Olivia Michael, and Cece Walser, Junior Olivia Gorton, Sophomore Mya Stancer, and Freshman Luci Barranco. The winners were really excited to be recognized for their talent and work. “I was really excited to be mentioned because I had never been mentioned for my art before,” Beutz said.

The students spent a lot of time on their work. Many of the award winners learned new skills for their art which took time. Not only did the students learn new techniques, but they also spent weeks perfecting their pieces. “I put a lot of time into the work on film, especially in the darkroom. It was definitely a learning curve and I was really proud of this piece and I appreciated that my work was showcased as well,” Larson said.

The Gold Key Award winners got to go to an award ceremony at the University of Minnesota on February 25th. There they were surrounded by other Gold Key winners from around the state and were recognized for their winning pieces and talent. “It was really fun to get to go to the University of Minnesota and be surrounded by a lot of other talented kids in this state. Looking at the gallery where they showcase the other like gold key works was definitely really inspiring, just to see how much talent kids have in sculptures and drawing, painting and photography,” Larson said.

The recent winners have really enjoyed the art classes here at BSM. Many like the loose structure of them or just time in their day to relax and take their minds off other things. “Yeah, I for sure would recommend the art classes to other students. There’s a lot of different things for everyone to do. If you’re good at photography or painting or ceramics there are different classes you can take. It’s a really good break to kind of de-stress and do something creative,” Larson said.