This year, two Charlotte Latin students received extraordinary recognition for their visual art, winning national medals in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

Kathryn Wu ’27 was honored with a National Gold Medal for her mysterious and compelling painting The Weight of a Lamb, while Reina Kashyap ’30 was awarded a National Silver Medal for her vivid and evocative photograph Noble Guardian.

“Their work being recognized at a national level is an incredible feat,” said Richard Fletcher, Interim Chair of Visual Arts.

The Scholastic Awards, founded in 1923, have inspired and honored generations of creative young artists, with notable alumni including visual artists ranging from Cy Twombly to Richard Avedon. Fewer than one percent of submissions to the awards result in a national Gold Medal or Silver Medal.

The national laurels for Wu and Kashyap follow the success of Charlotte Latin students in the Mid-Carolina region this year (which, as defined by Scholastic, encompasses 27 counties in North Carolina and South Carolina); they earned 15 Gold Keys, 10 Silver Keys, and 11 Honorable Mentions.

“We celebrate inspiration,” Fletcher said, “But it’s the hard work that turns inspiration into a piece of artwork that’s seen on our walls. That process is what we’re trying to teach and that effort is always to be applauded.”