The Athens Academy Fine Arts Department is celebrating a fantastic year with a record four student art pieces winning Gold Key awards in the prestigious Scholastic Art and Writing Awards program. The program is the longest-running, most prestigious educational initiative supporting student achievement in the visual and literary arts in the United States. The Gold Key Scholastic Art Award is the highest achievement in the awards program.

Junior Carson Nelson received two Gold Key Scholastic Art Awards for his pieces Alexander Dogs and Ulysses S. Grant, both graphite drawings. Carson’s artwork will continue to the national competition and winners will be announced later in the year. He received Honorable Mention for two additional graphite drawings: Prairie Dogs and Kirby Smart Portrait.

Junior Avery Roark received a Gold Key Scholastic Art Award for her photograph, Sunset at Saranac Lake. Her piece, Athens Academy’s first Gold Key for photography, will continue on in the national competition.

Sophomore Remy Marty also received a Gold Key Scholastic Art Award for her ceramic piece, Teapot. Her artwork will continue on in the national competition. Remy also received Honorable Mention for her gouache painting Otis.

In addition to these four Gold Key awards, eight students received Honorable Mention from the Scholastic Art Awards:

“This is the biggest and best competition in the state for fine arts and includes some truly talented you people,” says Upper School art teacher Luke Graves. “This is the biggest and best competition in the state for fine arts and includes some truly talented you people. This list is impressive and well-deserved!

The Gold and Silver Key awards are part of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Program and are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers as part of its annual contest. According to their website, their mission is to “identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent and present their remarkable work to the world through the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.”

Athens Academy is an independent, co-educational school for students in K3 through 12th grade, located on a beautiful 152-acre campus in Northeast Georgia. Now in its 57th year, Athens Academy pursues its mission of “excellence with honor” through academics, athletics, fine arts, and service and leadership. Ranked the #1 private school in Athens, #9 college prep school in the state of Georgia, and #1 private school in Northeast Georgia (Niche.com).

For more information, please contact Kelley Cuneo, communications director, at [email protected] or 706-433-2410.