Herndon High School (HHS) has some of the most gifted student artists in the country demonstrating unique talent, technical skills, and originality. Just ask Elizabeth Noto, Ed.D, Herndon High School principal, who announced that the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers named six Herndon students recipients of the 2018 Scholastic Art Awards, the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition initiative for creative teens in grades 7-12.

The website for the Scholastic Awards states the young artists and writers were free to explore any and all topics; there were no pre-defined prompts, and no work would ever be disqualified from the Scholastic Awards because of the nature of its content. As for judging criteria, three areas dominated: originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision.

According to Scholastic Awards, judges looked for work that "...breaks from convention, blurs the boundaries between genres, and challenges notions of how a particular concept or emotion can be expressed...Work that uses technique to advance an original perspective or a personal vision or voice, and show skills being utilized to create something unique, powerful, and innovative..., (and) Work with an authentic and unique point of view and style."

Fairfax County Public Schools, an Affiliate of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, was a sponsor of the Scholastic Art Awards for the Fairfax County Region. Each year, students from public, private, and home schools in Fairfax County submit artwork to be judged blind, meaning with no name visible, by professional artists and art educators from the area.

Tammy Morin, art teacher at Herndon High School, said, "We are very appreciative that our students are afforded the opportunity to showcase their talents beyond the classroom walls."

The Herndon High School students named honored recipients of the 2018 Scholastic Art Awards and Honorable Mentions are: Abby Wilson, 15, Honorable Mention; Breeana Rivera, 15, Honorable Mention; Solveig Reda, 16, one Gold and two Silver Key Awards; Jake Dyer, 17, one Gold Key Award and two Honorable Mentions; Estelle Kim, 16, one Silver Key Award and one Honorable Mention; and Diane Kovalchuk, 19, one Gold and three Silver Key awards.

Students who received Gold Key and Silver Key awards will be celebrated in a ceremony held Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018, at the Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus, Ernst Cultural Center, 8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale. Their artwork will be on exhibition there Feb. 9 - March 15, 2018.

Artists whose works received a Gold Key will automatically be advanced to competition at the national level.