Story by Adam Kwoh
News Editor
Illustration by Maddie Yoo
Design Editor
South Pasadena High School received 71 Scholastic Western Region Awards on Friday, Jan. 31, recognizing the visual and written works of over 50 students. Students submitted works in categories ranging from illustration to science fiction & fantasy where their works were evaluated by a panel of judges.
The Scholastic program allows students from across the nation to compete, bestowing Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention Awards for each category. This year SPHS recieved a total of 12 Gold Key Awards and 22 Silver Key Awards.
“I’m beyond overjoyed and honored that my work was recognized,” Silver Key recipient and freshman Reagan Rogers said. “I’ve always thought that it was really important for people to recognize and encourage youth artists of varying mediums because it encourages them to continue doing the things they are passionate about and it helps them realize the community they are apart of.”
SPHS has entered the Scholastic program’s competition since 2016, earning 66 Scholastic Western Region Awards in 2019. Four SPHS students medaled at the national competition in 2019.
Gold Key recipients of the Western Region awards automatically qualify for the national competition. National medalists will be announced on Mar. 15 and will attend the National Ceremony in June.
Western Region Art Awards
Gold Key:
Sean Jin – Photography – Prospect Avenue
Yifeng Ma – Digital Art – Library in a Train (2)
Bailey Negrete – Photography – The Living Dead
Silver Key:
Ella Jayasekera – Photography – Discarded Mystique
Sean Jin – Photography – Lucy
Yifeng Ma – Digital Art – Library in a Train (1)
Reagan Rogers – Photography – Fetus
Reagan Rogers – Photography – Embrace
Reagan Rogers – Photography – Midair
Max Yee – Photography – Sharing
Max Yee – Photography – Waiting for Change
Maddie Yoo – Painting – Discovery
Honorable Mention:
Sean Feng – Drawing & Illustration – Aged Reflection
Nicholas Forman – Drawing & Illustration – Drug Deal
Nicholas Forman – Photography – Through No Man’s Land
Nicholas Forman – Drawing & Illustration – Pinch Myself
Sean Jin – Photography – Priority Seating
Kainoa Kam – Photography – Hunger
Frances Lee – Photography – Stairs
Cindy Li – Photography – Outburst
Yifeng Ma – Digital Art – Library in a Train (3)
Riziki Mbugua – Photography – Devil Child
Riziki Mbugua – Photography – Right through me
Reagan Rogers – Photography – Penny
Terry Song – Painting – Bedtime Lullaby
Yiran Wang – Photography – Silence
Yolanda Xing – Painting – Save the Fish
Maddie Yoo – Drawing & Illustration – Effervescense
Maddie Yoo – Drawing & Illustration – What the Fruit?!
Western Region Writing Awards
Gold Key:
Kevin Aday – Critical Essay – Social Media Activism
Nicholas Chau – Critical Essay – Racism in Sports
Jack Ishibashi – Critical Essay – The Hate U Give Argumentative Essay
Zhiqin Jiang – Science Fiction & Fantasy – Deception
Chris Kuizon – Critical Essay – Dictatorship Essay
Morgan Lee – Critical Essay – Identity Synthesis Essay
Stephanie Li – Critical Essay – The Effects of Teenage Alienation
Cloe Maurer – Poetry – In California
Connor Wang – Critical Essay – Combating Alcholism in Native Americans
Silver Key:
Aidan Bar-Cohen – Critical Essay – Safety First
Joseph Broderick – Critical Essay – Why Tolerate Zero-Tolerance?
Phoebe Dickinson – Poetry – Fourth of July
Sofia Farmarco – Short Story – The Redcoats Are Coming!
Abby Garner – Short Story – Lifeless Short Story
Changyu Kim – Critical Essay – Reforming a Community
Chris Kuizon – Critical Essay – Antisocial Media Essay
Morgan Lee – Critical Essay – Depictions of Healthy Relationships in Novels Essay
Morgan Lee – Critical Essay – Social Media and Activism Essay
Chloe Scherck – Critical Essay – Police Brutality Towards African Americans
Sarah Uwabo – Personal Essay & Memoir – The Truth Behind Racism
Dori Wang – Critical Essay – The Public’s Misguided View on Addiction
Honorable Mention:
Phoenix Afschar – Critical Essay – The Winning and Losing Hands
Sofia Alva – Critical Essay – It is impossible to seperate art from the artist
Vanessa Alvarado – Critical Essay – Synthesis Argument Essay
Audrey Biggar – Critical Essay – Hate U Give Essay
Joseph Broderick – Critical Essay – To Protect and Serve: Building Better Communities Through Better Policing
Kaden Chai – Critical Essay – Self-Medicated Poverty
Sofia Farmarco – Critical Essay – Teen Alienation Leads to Mental Illness
Maya Gonzalez-Pacheco – Critical Essay – Liberty and Equality
Ari He – Critical Essay – Alcholism’s Need for Balance
Zhiqin Jiang – Critical Essay – Seperating the Art From the Artist: Sherman Alexie
Chanyu Kim – Critical Essay – Schools Are Imperative In Combating Racism
Deanna Lau – Critical Essay – Ethical Authors on Library Shelves
Denna Lau – Critical Essay – Social Media and Activism
Morgan Lee – Dramatic Script – Sunflower Tattoo
Sarah Lee – Critical Essay – Bullying Synthesis Essay
Daniel Lin – Critical Essay – Who is Responsible to Fight Poverty?
Ethan Mu – Critical Essay – Poverty Causes Alcoholism
Ayaha Nakahara – Critical Essay – The Hate U Give Essay
Diego Williams – Critical Essay – 5-0
Diego Williams – Critical Essay – The Plague of Despair
Hanning Zhu – Critical Essay – The “Talk”: Ending Racial Discrimination Through Children
