West Fargo, ND – (January 17, 2023) – The Red River Valley Writing Project and the Department of Visual Arts at NDSU in conjunction with the Plains Art Museum has announced the winners of this year’s Scholastic Art & Writing Awards! Five Sheyenne High School learners earned honors in writing and 24 in art. 

Art and writing will be exhibited at the Plains Art Museum from January 31-March 4, 2023. The state awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, March 4th from 5:30-8pm at Plains Art Museum. Thanks to a generous donation from John Deere over $2,500 in cash prizes will be awarded to the top art and writing submissions!  

Statewide writing winners from Sheyenne High School include: 
•    Asiya Gedi, 12th grade. American Voices Nominee, Gold Key in Critical Essay. Educator: Nathan Kurtti 
•    Trisha Mehta, 10th grade. American Voices Nominee, Two Gold Keys, Honorable Mention in Novel Writing. Educator: Elsie Peterson 
•    Hayden Cross, 11th grade. Silver Key in Short Story. Educator: Jescia Hopper 
•    Katelynn Altman, 12th grade. Honorable Mention in Critical Essay. Educator: Nathan Kurtti 
•    Connor Anderson, 12th grade. Honorable Mention in Critical Essay. Educator: Nathan Kurtti  
 
Statewide art winners from Sheyenne High School include: 
•    Tyler Field, 12th grade. American Visions Nominee, Two Gold Keys, Silver Key in Mixed Media. Educator: Jescia Hopper 
•    Kyra Narum, 12th grade. American Visions Nominee, Two Gold Keys in Painting. Educator: Brittany Ryba 
•    Soren Kaster, 12th grade. Gold Key in Ceramics. Educator: Rachel Murphy 
•    Grace Maurice, 12th grade. Gold Key in Painting. Educator: Jescia Hopper 
•    Trisha Mehta, 10th grade. Gold Key in Digital Art, Silver Key in Painting. Educators: Jescia Hopper and Rachel Murphy 
•    Reagan Koppelman, 10th grade. Gold Key in Painting, Silver Key and Honorable Mention in Drawing, Silver Key in Architecture and Industrial Design, Honorable Mention in Design. Educator: Jescia Hopper 
•    Tristin Folk, 12th grade. Silver Key in Drawing. Educator: Jescia Hopper 
•    Adelyne Bienek, 12th grade. Silver Key in Ceramics, Two Honorable Mentions in Drawing and Ceramics. Educators: Brittany Ryba and Jescia Hopper 
•    Sydney Brandvold, 12th grade. Silver Key and Honorable Mention in Ceramics. Educator: Brittany Ryba 
•    Kade Ydstie, 12th grade. Two Silver Keys, Two Honorable Mentions in Ceramics. Educator: Brittany Ryba 
•    Allie Carlsrud, 12th grade. Silver Key in Ceramics. Educator: Brittany Ryba 
•    Miah Thiel, 12th grade. Silver Key in Ceramics. Educator: Sarah Dotzenrod 
•    Gracie Toso, 12th grade. Two Silver Keys in Ceramics. Educator: Brittany Ryba 
•    Katrina Ustanko, 12th grade. Silver Key in Drawing. Educator: Jescia Hopper 
•    Iva Walker, 12th grade. Silver Key in Drawing. Educator: Jescia Hopper 
•    Hayden Cross, 11th grade. Honorable Mention in Digital Art. Educator: Jescia Hopper 
•    Ava Devaney, 11th grade. Honorable Mention in Printmaking. Educator: Jescia Hopper 
•    Ella Erickstad, 12th grade. Two Honorable Mentions in Ceramics, Honorable Mention in Sculpture. Educator: Sarah Dotzenrod 
•    Autumn Allard, 11th grade. Honorable Mention in Ceramics. Educator: Brittany Ryba 
•    Erika Hoy, 12th grade. Honorable Mention in Painting. Educators: Jescia Hopper and Brittany Ryba
•    Grant Knodle, 11th grade. Honorable Mention in Drawing. Educator: Jescia Hopper 
•    Lawson Lee, 11th grade. Honorable Mention in Ceramics. Educator: Rachel Murphy 
•    Emma Nelson, 11th grade. Honorable Mention in Drawing. Educator: Brittany Ryba 
•    Gracie Voeller, 12th grade. Honorable Mention in Drawing. Educator: Jescia Hopper

Gold Key and American Vision & Voices works automatically advance to national judging. In New York City, renowned creative professionals review Gold Key works from across the country. Jurors select work for national recognition based on three criteria: originality, skill, and emergence of a personal vision or voice. National Awards will be announced on March 22, 2023. The mission of the Awards is to identify students grades 7-12 with exceptional artistic and literary talent and bring their remarkable work to a national audience. Started in 1923, the awards have an impressive roster of past winners, including Andy Warhol, Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Robert Redford, and most recently, Amanda Gorman. 

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