On a random hour of a random day, notebook out, pencil in hand, waiting for the bell to ring in Precalculus H, junior Betty Li received some jarring news about her artwork.
When her name was called, it was not to answer a question about a problem, but instead to congratulate her on her gold key win in the 2024 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.
Li said, “Mrs. Anderson was like, ‘Congratulations!’ And I was like, ‘Wait, what? What do you mean? Like, I failed another math test or what?’ — I don’t know; it just felt special.”
The word ‘special’ was used by some students to describe their reaction upon receiving awards and recognition in the annual 2024 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to identifying students with exceptional artistic and literary talents.
Many Upper School students’ artworks were recognized with honorable mentions, silver keys, and gold keys. These pieces were showcased on February 6th at Gibbs High School, an event validating these young artists’ hard work like no other.
The showcased artwork was not the only evidence of Shorecrest’s thriving art community. “You see art everywhere,” Li said when asked about the arts at Shorecrest. Student-painted artwork marbling the walls of classrooms and hallways breathes a unique spark into the campus.
It becomes impossible to not wonder how; how come each year Shorecrest produces incredible artistic talent? How come so many art students succeed in this competition year after year?
It’s not by chance or even just pure luck, but rather it always comes back to the art teachers. US Arts and Humanities teacher Charla Gaglio and her passion for bringing up young artists has kept this artistic spark burning for the past 24 years at Shorecrest.
“She makes me want to paint more. I don’t even know how to describe it,” said junior Leila Hudson. Hudson’s experience with Gaglio reflects the common experience for most of her students.
One of whom, senior Jasmine Marcus, said about their relationship, “When I would feel displeased with how my art is turning out, her kind words would encourage me. Her trust in my abilities has also given me much more confidence.” This year, Marcus won a local award in the 2024 Pinellas County Art Region of The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, as well as three gold keys.
“She’s just very real. She doesn’t hold back, she has such a bright personality, she doesn’t hide any of it, and that’s amazing,” said Hudson. The love and passion Gaglio has for her work does not go unnoticed. Marcus described her as “the one person who understands me as an artist and the struggles that come with it.”
“When I came to Shorecrest, I was dealing with horrible art block and didn’t enjoy it anymore. However, Mrs. Gaglio didn’t let me slack off,” said Marcus as she now builds her portfolio for college. Her story reflects those who take Gaglio’s class and not only learn artistic skills, but also how to push and advocate for themselves as well as to push and advocate for the world around them.
Gaglio’s impact brightens the Shorecrest’s halls and can be felt as you walk through them. The hallways showcase a diverse range of student artwork, from intricate paintings and detailed sketches to bold mixed-media pieces. Murals, portraits, and installations reflect both technical skill and creative expression, turning the school into a living gallery. Marcus said, “Seeing Mrs. Gaglio be proud of me has given me the strength to continue art in college—-having her as an example that you can make art into a career is really very inspiring.”
Li’s journey and relationship with art wasn’t exactly linear. She described how growing up in China, art wasn’t encouraged and so even though she was passionate about it, art was never something available to pursue. That changed, however, when Li took Gaglio’s AP Art History class last year.
“She really encouraged me to take her art class, even though I would be in a beginner’s art class in junior year. She really believed in me, especially for Scholastic, because I didn’t think I was going to be able to submit a piece.”
Last year, Li hadn’t even stepped foot in a high school art class. This year, she won a gold key.
