Stewarts Creek High School proudly announces that rising Junior Aili Mickinak has been awarded a prestigious National Gold Medal from the Scholastic Art Awards for her exceptional artistic achievement. The Scholastic Art Awards, a renowned national competition recognizing outstanding artistic talent among students, awarded Aili Mickinak the National Gold Medal for her sculpture entitled "How Did I Get Here." This year, more than 100,000 students in North America submitted around 340,000 artworks to the Scholastic Art Awards, and fewer than 1,100 received a National Gold Medal. Aili's recognition highlights her creativity, dedication, and mastery in the field of visual arts.
Aili expressed her joy and gratitude upon receiving the award, stating, "This award, in a way, reflects everything that I have been working for my entire life, and I am so proud to receive it. It's pretty awesome to be recognized on a national level."
Kim Riser, Aili's visual arts teacher, shared her admiration for Aili's artistic journey: "Aili is a perfect example of a student who displays an eagerness for the creative process; constantly pushing boundaries, and reevaluating her work to get it just right. She puts countless hours into the artworks she creates, excited and inspired by the prospect of trial and error. She enjoys the process as much as the end result, but it’s still amazing to see all of her hard work pay off on such a large scale. She is an incredible person and artist, and we couldn’t be more proud of her!"
The Scholastic Art Awards have a rich history of identifying and fostering the next generation of creative leaders in the arts. Aili Mickinak's National Gold Medal places her among the top young artists in the nation and sets a strong foundation for her future endeavors in the art world.
