Grayson County High School seniors Kierson Chambers, Sydney Powell, and Norea Watson were recently honored in the 2024 Scholastic Art and Writing Competition. The awards are the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious arts recognition program for creative teens. They are also the largest source of scholarships for young artists and writers.
Kierson Chambers received a Gold Key in Sculpture for Longing, a work “based off of different emotions and my love for pottery and sculpture,” she shared. The piece was also included in her AP Art portfolio.
Norea Watson was awarded a Gold Key in Drawing & Illustration for Tools of the Trade and a Silver Key in Drawing & Illustration for Comfort.
“My submitted pieces are about growing up and the expectations that stem from childhood and also adulthood,” said Watson, who also won a Gold Key last year and will be featured in the virtual ceremony for Region-At-Large winners this year.
All Gold Key entries are automatically considered for National Awards, including Gold Medal, Silver Medal, and scholarship awards. One of GCHS’ 2023 Gold Key winners, Caspian Collard, went on to earn a national Gold Key.
Sydney Powell earned a Silver Key in Drawing & Illustration for Fashion’s Home, a colored pencil drawing she created for AP Art, which she notes is “my actual closet as a portal to fashion.”
Both Powell and Watson attended the Governor’s School for the Arts. Watson was accepted for Visual Art. Powell was accepted for both Visual Art and Theatre, which she ultimately chose to attend.
“I plan on going to college and majoring in Theatre. I’m a comedic actor and I’m going to audition for TV, film, and sketch comedy roles,” she explained.
Watson’s post-grad plans are to “study animation in the hopes of becoming a film director.” She was recently awarded a $64,000 scholarship to the School of Visual Arts in NYC and is awaiting decisions from both the California Institute of the Arts and the University of Southern California.
Chambers plans to take an entrepreneurial route that also incorporates art, majoring in business at ECTC and then pursuing a career in real estate. “My ultimate goal is to learn enough about business ownership, sales, and leadership to eventually open a business of my own surrounding my hobbies such as baking and pottery.”
According to their award letters, "Since 1923, the Awards have recognized some of the nation’s most celebrated artists and writers while they were teenagers, including Tschabalala Self, Stephen King, Kay WalkingStick, José Parlá, Amanda Gorman, Charles White, Joyce Carol Oates, and Andy Warhol."
Chambers, Powell, and Watson “are now part of that esteemed group of alumni,” said GCHS Visual Art Department Chair and their proud teacher, Beverly Dowell.
View their award-winning artwork
.