Dedham Country Day School Eighth Graders Sara Falkson and Isabella Collins have earned recognition from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, a prestigious regional and national competition for young artists and writers in grades 7–12.

Sara received a Gold Key Award for her photo, Icicle. Isabella, who won a Gold Key award last year for her rustic bench, received one this year for sculpture. Both students will now move on to take part in the national competition held each year in New York.

The awards ceremony for this year’s Massachusetts winners was held on Saturday, March 8, 2014, at the Blackman Auditorium at Northeastern University. Works by Gold Key award winners will be exhibited at Boston City Hall, March 7–28. The exhibit is open weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Along with other Gold Key winners from across the country, Sara and Isablella will go on to compete in their categories in New York, where the national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are administered by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, Inc.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have an impressive legacy dating back to 1923 and a noteworthy roster of past winners including Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Robert Redford, and Joyce Carol Oates. They continue to be the longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in the United States.

The awards are an important opportunity for students in grades 7 through 12 to be recognized for their creative talents and to have their works exhibited or published. Submissions in 28 different categories are juried by a panel of luminaries in the visual and literary arts who look for works that best exemplify originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision.

Dedham Country Day School offers a balanced program of arts, athletics, academics, and community service for students in Pre-Kindergarten through Eighth Grade. All students take art every day, and in Middle School, they can select from more than 40 different offerings.