Brooke Kisling – Cycle of Pain (Digital Painting, Drawing & Collage), Kearney Public Schools, Courtesy
KEARNEY — Kearney High School is proud to announce that 27 students have been recognized through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, one of the nation’s most prestigious programs honoring creative achievement in visual art and writing for students in grades 7–12.
In the visual arts category, Kearney High School students earned a total of 58 awards, showcasing exceptional creativity and technical skill.
These honors include:
• 13 Gold Keys
• 17 Silver Keys
• 28 Honorable Mentions
• 1 American Visions Nominee, Bailey Axtell, received a special distinction for her ceramic sculpture “Shattered Innocence; A Teenager’s Realization of Child Abuse.” This nomination is awarded to one of the strongest works selected from all regional Gold Key recipients
Gold Key works advance to the national level of judging in New York City, placing these students among the top young visual artists in the country.
In addition to the art awards, Kearney High School student Gage Townson received recognition in the writing category, earning six Honorable Mentions and two Silver Key awards for his writing submissions.
A regional Scholastic Art Awards reception will be held in Omaha on March 28, 2026, at the Omaha Public Schools Teacher Administration Center, where student artwork will be celebrated and honored.
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have recognized creative excellence for more than 100 years. Kearney High School congratulates all award recipients on their outstanding achievements and commends the teachers who continue to foster creativity, critical thinking, and self-expression in both the visual arts and writing classrooms.
Art Awards
Gold Key Awards
Ava Porter – Self-Portrait (Digital Painting, Drawing & Collage)
Brooke Kisling – Ouroboros (Editorial Cartoon – Herb Block Foundation)
Kruz Flamig – In My Eyes (Printmaking)
Lydia Smith – Where is Mr. Goose? (Comic Art)
Pamela Alvarado – Shark Attack (Digital Painting, Drawing & Collage)
Ariah Perez – Prince of Dreams (Illustration)
Becca Pobanz – Winter Park (Drawing)
Landen Tilley – Social Brainwash (Illustration)
Mariah Kaslon – Self-Portrait (Drawing)
Rina Heng – She Gave Me That Look.. (Drawing)
Josslyn Flood – Coils on Coils (Ceramics & Glass)
Josslyn Flood – Sweet Snail (Ceramics & Glass)
Bailey Axtell – Shattered Innocence; A Teenager’s Realization to Child Abuse. (Ceramics & Glass) Also an American Visions Nominee
Silver Key Awards
Bailey Henning – Match Day (Graphic Design)
Kruz Flamig – Gameday (Graphic Design)
Landen Tilley – Jellyfish (Graphic Design)
Parker Schlegelmilch – Nebraska State Bandmasters Association – Marching Contest Cover (Digital Painting, Drawing & Collage)
Avery Paider – Doc (Drawing)
Isaac Hooton – Emptiness (Illustration)
Josslyn Flood – Indy (Drawing)
Landen Tilley – Fragrances (Drawing)
Leah Flood – Obi (Drawing)
Maddison Martin – Happy Birthday (Illustration)
Maddison Martin – Radiate Positivity (Illustration)
Mariah Kaslon – Rolling Sandhills (Drawing)
Mariah Kaslon – Colorful Beginnings (Illustration)
Mariah Kaslon – Dandelions (Painting)
Mariah Kaslon – Irking Pain (Painting)
Shanika Robinson – Gazing (Drawing)
Maddison Martin – Pollution Vs. Pollination (Ceramics & Glass)
Honorable Mention Awards
Addison Jezbera – The Game You Can’t Win (Film & Animation)
Alessandra Trejo – Girls Cross Country Meet Day Graphic (Graphic Design)
Bailey Henning – Toga Dad (Graphic Design)
Bailey Henning – Tournament (Graphic Design)
Bailey Henning – Dual (Graphic Design)
Brooke Kisling – Cycle of Pain (Digital Painting, Drawing & Collage)
Brooke Kisling – Mind of Me. (Digital Painting, Drawing & Collage)
Ingrid Bovey – Neon Lights Above (Digital Painting, Drawing & Collage)
Kruz Flamig – Home Game (Graphic Design)
Lydia Smith – Expressive Portrait (Graphic Design)
Mariah Kaslon – Expressive Portrait (Digital Painting, Drawing & Collage)
Alessandra Trejo – Looking for the Light (Printmaking)
Ariah Perez – Growing Up (Illustration)
Ariah Perez – Still the Same (Illustration)
Evangelina Wilterding – Arachnophobia (Drawing)
Grace Erpelding – Suvi (Drawing)
Isaac Hooton – Failure (Illustration)
Isaac Hooton – Fulfillment (Illustration)
Landen Tilley – Reaching the Top (Illustration)
Maddison Martin – Aging (Illustration)
Mariah Kaslon – Broken Time (Drawing)
Shanika Robinson – The Resting Dog (Drawing)
Vivien Long – Sink or Swim (Illustration)
Ava Porter – The Floating Sink (Ceramics & Glass)
Avery Lange – The Eternal Child Has Grown Up (Ceramics & Glass)
Bailey Henning – The Shape of Use (Ceramics & Glass)
Claire Florell – Colored Trout (Ceramics & Glass)
Leah Flood – Interweave (Ceramics & Glass)
Writing Awards
Silver Key Awards
Gage Townsend – The Day of The Children (Poetry)
Gage Townsend – Melody Stripes (Speculative Fiction)
Honorable Mention Awards
Gage Townsend – The Amalgamation (Poetry)
Gage Townsend – The Fall and Rise of The Bucket Band (Flash Fiction)
Gage Townsend – Light and Longing (Poetry)
Gage Townsend – The Ones With Broken Wings (Speculative Fiction)
Gage Townsend – I Am Me (Poetry)
Gage Townsend – My Magic (Personal Essay & Memoir)
National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition
Josslyn Flood’s artwork titled Sweet Snail was selected by juror Liz Quackenbush to be among the 150 selected ceramic artworks to be included in the 29th Annual National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition. Josslyn is a 10th-grader at Kearney High School. This year, there was a total of 1051 entries from 155 different teachers. The Annual National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition will be held in Detroit, MI, from 03/25/2026 to 03/27/2026. There it will be seen by thousands of visitors from all over the world, many of whom will be in Detroit for the NCECA conference. The National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition occurs while the NCECA conference is in session.
