By Delaney McLinden '18
Trinity Prep sophomore Valerie Trapp won several awards at the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition for her writing pieces. The competition, sponsored by The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, has recognized the top writers and artists in the country since 1923.
Out of over 320,000 entries, Trapp was awarded two Honorable Mentions, six Silver Keys, and two Golden Keys. Her work that achieved the Golden Key awards will be judged again at the national level. Her story, "Immigration Requires More Than A Passport," gained a National Gold Medal, making her a part of the top one percent in the nation awarded this prestigious honor.
"I am unbelievably proud of Valerie for receiving her second National Gold Key from Scholastic Art and Writing Awards," says Loryn Eriksson, Trinity Prep English teacher and writing sponsor for Trapp. "She is a literary force to be reckoned with, and she deserves every ounce of recognition she has received."
"I am incredibly honored by and excited about this opportunity," said Trapp. "I wrote my article initially for the Trinity Voice, which has given me the amazing opportunity to express my opinions and beliefs. It's very humbling to see something I wrote for the school paper get this kind of recognition."
In addition to Trapp, Juniors Sarah Hameer and Cameron Qiao were recognized for their art pieces. Hameer won two regional Honorable Mentions and a Silver Key for mixed media. In Visual arts, Qiao was awarded two regional Honorable Mentions and a Silver Key for her painting.