31 Middle, Upper School Students Win Awards in Suffolk Sister Cities Young Authors and Artists Competition

Nansemond-Suffolk Academy is celebrating more than two dozen students who took home awards in the annual Suffolk Sister Cities Young Authors and Artists Competition, which included a best in show prize!

Students from schools in Suffolk submitted 118 art entries across five categories, including drawing, painting, photography, mixed media and digital art. Authors submitted 81 entries that were categorized as either essays or poetry. This year, the contest also included a new category for music, which had three entries. All submissions reflected this year's theme, "Peace by Piece: Food Security in My Community."

Experts in art and writing judged the entries. First place winners in each category received a $50 cash award, while one best in show artist and one best in show author received $100 cash awards. The first place and best in show award winners, which include Violet Johnston '23, Izzy Rose '24, Lily Petry '24, Anne Ruffin House '25 and Arianna Gregory '23, are now eligible to participate in the Sister Cities International Competition, where they will face off against students from around the world. There is a $1,000 cash prize for winners of the international competition. Alumna Rory Rockwood '22 won the digital art portion of last year's international competition.

All entries in the Suffolk Sister Cities Young Authors and Artists Competition will be on display through March 22 in the main gallery of the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts. It's open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Congratulations to all of our award winners! Go Saints!

Young Artist Awards

Best in Show

Violet Johnston '23, "Our Child is Hungry"

Digital Art

Third Place: Camren Lepper '23, "Money=Luxury"

Honorable Mention: Jackson Oliver '24, "Protected vs Unprotected"

Honorable Mention: Dylan Culbert '23, "Out of Stock"

Honorable Mention: Alli Walls '24, "Hungry for Fruit"

Photography

First Place: Izzy Rose '24, "Wasting Away"

Second Place: Cyann Davis-Lawrence '23, "Window of Food"

Third Place: Ashley Bush '24, "Diamonds Decomposing in the Dirt"

Honorable Mention: Charlie Joseph '24, "Fenced In"

Honorable Mention: Meredith Edwards '23, "Simple Food Disappearance"

Honorable Mention: Katelyn Blackwell '23, "Helping Hands"

Painting

First Place: Lily Petry '24, "Running on Empty"

Third Place: Summer Johnston '23, "The Future"

Honorable Mention: Lily Fox '24, "A Year of Unprecedented Hunger"

Honorable Mention: Julia Adams '25, "The Nurturing Tree"

Honorable Mention: Caroline Morgan '23, "The Happiest Meal"

Drawing

Second Place: Makenna Kuehl '27, "Food Kitchen"

Honorable Mention: Paige Meeks '27, "Food All Around"

Honorable Mention: London Sheppard '25, "Starvation"

Honorable Mention: Vance Byars '27, "Giving Food"

Honorable Mention: Madi Blair '27, "Food Countries"

Honorable Mention: Taylor Bradshaw '27, "Virginia State with Popular Foods"

Mixed Media

First Place: Anne Ruffin House '25, "Surviving"

Second Place: Paige Dowd '25, "Out of Reach"

Honorable Mention: Krista Booker '23, "The Fruitless Tree"

Honorable Mention: Nicole Pendleton '23, "Division in Nutrition"

Honorable Mention: Makaela Waddington '25, "Harsh Restriction"

Honorable Mention: Cayla Middleton '24, "The Feast"

Young Author Awards

Poetry

First Place: Arianna Gregory '23, "The Blue Café"

Third Place: Christian Clarke '23, "The McDonald's 'Round the Corner"

Honorable Mention: Cassidy Spencer '23, "Triple A"

Learn More About Suffolk Sister Cities International