A remarkable number of Charlotte Latin students were recognized by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for their accomplishments in visual arts. In the 2026 Regional Mid-Carolina Scholastic Art Awards, work by Latin students in the seventh grade through 12th grade earned 15 Gold Keys, 10 Silver Keys, and 11 Honorable Mentions.

“With a TK through Grade 12 curriculum and great teachers, we help our students to produce amazing artwork at all grade levels,” commented Richard Fletcher, Interim Chair of Visual Arts. “That curriculum is the result of collaboration between Latin administrators, teachers, and parents — all of whom believed that the arts are important.”

For over a century, the Scholastic Awards have honored young artists and writers. Visual honorees since 1923 have included notable artists such as Andy Warhol, Luis Jiménez, John Currin, and Tom Otterness.

Scholastic’s Mid-Carolina region encompasses 27 different counties in both North Carolina and South Carolina and attracted thousands of submissions of student art. All Gold Key winners from the region are automatically entered in competition at the National Scholastic Awards, with results to come this spring.

In addition, the Mint Museum will host the Regional 2025 Gold and Silver Key Exhibition in its uptown location (at the Levine Center for the Arts) beginning on March 1. The exhibition will end with a celebration on Sunday, April 12, 2:00–5:00 p.m., open to all Gold, Silver, and Honorable Mention winners, educators, and their families. (Admission to the Mint will be free, but parking in uptown Charlotte may not be.) 

The work of four Latin students will be even more visible to the Charlotte public this spring: Bennett DuBose ’27, Margaret Marsh ’31, Molly Martin ’26, and Claire Richards ’31 are all Adams Outdoor winners who will have their art featured on local billboards in March and April.

The high honor of a nomination for an American Visions Award went to painter Kathryn Wu ’27. In each region, only one of the Gold Key winners can receive a national American Visions medal; no more than five can be nominated from each region. The winner of the medal will be determined by Scholastic’s national judges.

“When you’re a visual artist, you have to put your work out there so it can be seen,” Fletcher said. “Because of the Scholastic Awards, students can be aware of the work that’s being done at their level. Work is submitted by students themselves; some of our students don’t like the idea of art being competitive, so some of the best work done at the school doesn’t get entered. But it still hangs on our walls for our local population to view and love.”

The Gold Key winners attending Charlotte Latin (some of whom were honored more than once, for different pieces of art) were Bennett DuBose, Sloan Ellison ’26, Angel Fang ’27 (three times), Reina Kashyap ’30, Margaret Marsh, Molly Martin, Anna Rankin ’31, Anjali Rao ’27, Maya Rao ’29, Lucy Sherman ’30, Kathryn Wu, and Isabel Yang ’26 (twice).

Latin students receiving Silver Keys were Angel Fang, Lauren Gilman ’30, Leila Griffin ’30, Ellie Hodge ’30, Reina Kashyap, Thomas Lynch ’26, Ruby Negrin ’31, Anjali Rao, Claire Richards, Abigail Wolf ’30, and Isabel Yang.

Receiving Honorable Mentions: Avery Ellis ’31, Hannah Fulenwider ’30, Lauren Gilman, Lauryn Greene ’30, Lilly Hale ’31, Oliver Heinzerling ’28, Ellie Hodge, Caroline Holland ’30, Molly Martin, Anjali Rao, Evaline Schuner ’30, Julia Stinson ’27, Gabi Velasco ’27, and Isabel Yang.