Creative Writing National Scholastic
National Gold & Silver Medal & prestigious American Voices Medal
NOCCA is proud to share the news the students in the Creative Writing Department were recognized by the prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing Competition.
Of special note, two students received national recognition: Deja Robinson won the National Gold Medal and the American Voices Medal for her personal essay and Renée Richichi won a National Silver Medal for her short story. Students receive scholarship awards from Scholastic for these recognitions.
“In a year of challenges, this is a testament to the perseverance and the power of students and their work in the arts,” shared NOCCA President & CEO Kyle Wedberg. “Both of these students have done extraordinary work across time. Reneé has done exemplary work as a full-day NOCCA Academic Studio student and Deja is thriving in her commitment of being a half-day student coming to NOCCA from Livingston Collegiate Academy. Both have a phenomenal voice to share with the world. It is a gift and joy that these artists have received national recognition.”
More than 80,000 students submitted nearly 230,000 works of art and writing to the 2020 Scholastic Awards. National Medal winners’ work was selected by some of the foremost leaders in the visual and literary arts for excellence in originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision. Only 2,000 works received a National Medal, which places Deja and Renee’s work within the top 1% of all submissions.
NOCCA Creative Writing students national winners include:
AMERICAN VOICES | Best of Show In Personal Essay & Memoir
Deja Robinson Livingston Collegiate Academy New Orleans
PERSONAL ESSAY/MEMOIR
National Gold Medal Personal Essay/Memoir
Deja Robinson Livingston Collegiate Academy New Orleans
SHORT STORY
National Silver Medal Short Story
Reneé Richichi NOCCA Academic Studio Covington
Alliance collaborates with colleges across the country to leverage an additional $3.25 million in scholarship opportunities for award recipients who demonstrate exceptional promise. Visit www.artandwriting.org for more information.