Two Students Win Scholastic Arts National Gold Medals
After earning 63 regional Scholastic Arts Gold and Silver Keys earlier this year, Millbrook celebrated another victory, as Kelly Kwok ’25 and Mesha Thomas ’27 won Gold Medals at the national level of the competition.
Their accomplishment is notable, as only a tiny percentage of the hundreds of thousands of Gold Key winners go on to be National Medalists. Kwok’s winning submission is a painting titled “Creature,” while Thomas won with a photograph called “Behind the Mirror.”
Kowk shared her thoughts on winning a Gold Medal and explained a bit about her creative process:
“This was definitely a wonderful recognition, and I feel very happy about it. This was a painting I did last year in my painting class with Ms. Pazdar, for a project where we paint on two canvases at the same time (according to Ms. Pazdar, it helps if you're a little scattered mentally). It was a really fun experience–– I am reminded of the little corner where my friends (Nga Ho '26 and Sarah Buttacavoli '26) and I would have crazy conversations as we worked on our own pieces. I have many wonderful memories from the class. I don't remember the process exactly, but I allowed myself to be loose with my brushstrokes and I didn't try to make things perfect. I played with the viscosity of oil paint, and my favorite part of the painting is the towel. I also find it really funny and lovely that Chau Nguyen '25 has been the subject of many of my art pieces in the past three years.”
As medal winners, Kwok and Thomas have a chance to participate in art exhibitions, and they’re eligible for scholarships of up to $12,500. They'll also have the opportunity to attend an awards ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City, where they’ll rub elbows with high-profile celebrities. In past years, ceremony attendees have included the likes of Jamie Lee Curtis, Tina Fey, and Oprah Winfrey.
Huge congratulations to two of our most talented artists for their incredible accomplishment on the national stage!
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