Chap’s Student Shine at Scholastic Awards Ceremony

Artists earn regional honors at St. Steven’s ceremony that honors creativity and originality

Iris Wishnow, Reporter • February 6, 2026

Gold Portfolio piece titled “Handled” made by Chase Dammert

Student artists were recognized for their creativity and dedication at this year’s Scholastic Art & Writing Awards ceremony, held at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. The annual competition, one of the most prestigious student art programs in the country, honors young artists whose work show originality, technical skill, and meaningful personal expression.

Chaps earned twelve awards. Two gold key senior portfolios, one silver key senior portfolio, four gold key individual artworks and five silver key individual artworks.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards allow students from across the region to submit original artwork and writing pieces for professional evaluation. According to art teacher Billy George, the competition places a strong emphasis on authenticity.

“[The art] can’t just be technically beautiful,” George said. “It should have some message. It should have some layers of symbolism, some layers of meaning”

Sophomore Chase Dammert was among this year’s award recipients, earning a Gold Key for their ceramic piece Handled, a set of four mugs featuring sculpted hands as handles and other parts of a mug. Dammert also received an Honorable Mention for The Decomposition of Beauty, a mask exploring themes of metamorphosis and decay.

They described their creative process as largely self-driven, beginning with school assignments that evolve into more personal ideas.

“I’ll take that project and kind of think of a good theme for it,” Dammert said. “You just learn along the way what to do and what not to do”

Students may submit multiple pieces to Scholastic, showing their materials, techniques and inspirations. George explained that while teachers provide guidance, students are encouraged to take ownership of their work.

“It really depends on the artist and having it come from themselves and what they feel passionately about,” George said. “I think that’s going to speak to the judges.”

This year’s ceremony at St. Stephen’s functioned as both a celebration and a gallery exhibition. Gold Key artworks were displayed in person, while Silver Key and Honorable Mention pieces were showcased in a slideshow. Students were called on stage to be recognized for their achievements, creating what George described as a motivating and affirming experience.

“It really motivates kids,” George said. “They’re forced to make a plan and stick to a deadline and concentrate and get their work done”

For Dammert, the recognition was meaningful not only because of the awards themselves, but because of the personal standards they hold as an artist.

“I set my standards so high,” Dammert said, reflecting on the pressure to improve with each project. Still, they emphasized the importance of continuing to create, even when self-doubt creeps in.

“Even though you feel like you might not have the skill to make something,” Dammert said, “you can always try.”