This year, four Charlotte Latin students received the high honor of national medals from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for their visual art.

Lewawit Alemu ’26 won a Gold Medal for her mixed-media piece (collage and acrylic paint) titled Breaking News! Furthermore, she was singled out for the American Visions Award, the sole winner of that honor from the Mid-Carolina region (which, as defined by Scholastic, encompasses 27 counties in North Carolina and South Carolina).

Theo Fletcher ’28 also received a Gold Medal, for his mixed-media piece Rainy Days. He was also honored with a “Best in Grade” scholarship from Bloomberg Philanthropies. Only 24 of the $500 “Best in Grade” scholarships are awarded nationally: two scholarships for art and two for writing go to students in each grade from 7 to 12.

In addition, Kathryn Wu ’27 received a Silver Medal for her pen-and-ink drawing, Spoleto, and Grace Orsinger ’29 received a Silver Medal for her sculpture Out of Place.

The Scholastic Awards, founded in 1923, have served as an honor and an inspiration for generations of creative teenagers, with notable alumni including visual artists ranging from Andy Warhol to Kay WalkingStick. Fewer than one percent of submissions to the awards result in a national Gold Medal or Silver Medal.

These laurels follow the overwhelming success of Charlotte Latin students in the Mid-Carolina region this year, receiving 22 Gold Keys, 18 Silver Keys, and 20 Honorable Mentions. “I am exceedingly proud of my faculty who expose students to creative possibilities,” said Kaila Gottschling, Visual Arts Department Chair. “They are a team that actively engages to make each student's vision a reality.”