With the conclusion of the 2015 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, Southern Lehigh is proud to showcase students who entered art work, photography, and writing.  Among these students, one stands out. Sophomore Lexi Brown concluded the art contest with four gold keys, two silver keys, and two honorable mentions. She also won an American Vision Award.

“I was a little overwhelmed by it all [because] I did not expect to place,” Brown said. “I did way better this year than I did last year. I was completely shocked when I won the American Vision Award. I feel like I have grown so much at this point.”

The Scholastic Art Contest is the oldest art contest in the country. There are over 30,000 entries nationally and only about five percent get regional golds. Southern Lehigh competes with Berks, Lehigh, Northampton, and Carbon counties.

“Within those counties 2,000 students entered the contest. Only 100 of those students got gold keys,” art teacher Mrs. Anne Sikorski-Schneider said. “This year Southern Lehigh got 12 golds total. One of the golds was writing and the other eleven were art.”

Brown got four of those golds in photography and digital art. In photography she got third overall with a cash reward. Along with that, Brown also received an American Vision Award. For this award, five exceptional pieces are picked out. The winner of the National American Vision Award is picked from those five.

“I was really surprised that I won that award.  The piece that was picked was actually my least favorite,” Brown said. “Mrs. Sikorski-Schneider expected my piece to go far, and I guess she was right. I’m really proud of how this year turned out.”