Congratulations to Celina Bagchi ’24 on her 2024 Gold Medal Portfolio Writing Award from The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers sponsored by Scholastic, Inc. Between the writing and art categories, Bagchi was selected from 110,000 entrants for this year’s contest, the nation’s longest running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition program for young artists and writers in grades 7-12.

“I’m excited and honored that something I poured so much love and time into has been recognized at this level,” said Bagchi. “I have always loved writing in all its forms and my poetry is my favorite form of expression. I’m so thankful to Scholastic for giving me this award and supporting my creative endeavors as a young writer!”

Among the nearly 10,000 portfolios that were entered for adjudication this year, 16 portfolios earned the program’s highest honor, the Gold Medal Portfolio Award, which includes a $12,500 scholarship, as well as a $1,000 award to Germantown Academy. Bagchi, who will attend the University of Florida this fall, was honored at a virtual celebration hosted on June 26.

“Celina is one of the most talented and creative student poets I have ever had the pleasure to teach,” said Dean of Faculty and Upper School English teacher Rebecca Burnett. “She has a distinctive poetic voice and an intuitive sense of wordcraft; as a result, she captures emotions that feel both deeply personal and universal. A hard worker and a humble writer, she always shares her drafts, seeks feedback, and continues to revise as she hones a poem. It’s such a pleasure to see such a deserving young poet recognized for her great work!”

Founded in 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are presented by the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers and are made possible through the generosity of Scholastic Inc., and other nonprofit and philanthropic organizations.