Lexington Eighth Grader Wins National Art Award

Among nearly 110,000 teens and 310,000 original works of art and writing from across the United States, Zihan (Ada) Wang, an eighth grader from Lexington, Massachusetts, won the National Silver Key Award in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. This contest is a big chance for students to show their talents. Ada’s winning piece, a mixed media painting titled “Childhood Treasure”, shows a young child surrounded by favorite toys and colorful memories. It represents the joy and wonder of childhood. The painting was creative and meaningful. The award, given in 2025, shows Ada’s talent not just in art, but also in how she can tell a story through her work.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are run by a nonprofit group called The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. It has been running since 1923. Over the years, the group has supported many students who later became famous, such as Stephen King, Andy Warhol, and Joyce Carol Oates. Every year, many middle and high school students from across the U.S. send in their best work. They can choose from different categories like drawing, painting, writing, and more. But, only five students from the whole country are offered the National Silver Key Award. This makes Ada’s win even more special. It shows how much effort she put into her work and how strong her ideas were. Ada’s win is something both her school and community can be proud of.