Local students among UP writing award winners
MARQUETTE — Northern Michigan University’s Northern Shores Storywork Writing Project released a list of students who had won the regional 2025 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Of the 113 submissions from U.P. students, eight from Copper Country were recognized with awards.
31 students from the entire U.P. earned regional honors, including Gold Keys, Silver Keys, honorable mentions and American Visions & Voices nominations.
The awards are the United States’ longest running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition program for creative students in middle and high school. Of the awards given, the Gold Key awards will present the opportunity for the work to be considered for national honors and more opportunities.
The winning Copper Country students include Calumet 12th graders Sophie Brewer with an honorable mention in poetry, Aili Heflin with a Gold Key and American Voices nomination in personal essay, Jada Hendrickson with a Silver Key in personal essay, Levi Mills with an honorable mention in critical essay, Kaylee Newsom with an honorable mention in personal essay and 11th grader Ozzie Nykanen with an honorable mention in short story.
Baraga’s 8th grader Madyson Evens won an honorable mention and Silver Key in novel writing.
The Copper Country’s one art winner was a home schooled 11th grader from Hancock named Gabrielle Myers. Myers won an honorable mention with her design entry. She said that she feels satisfaction with the hours of work resulting in its manifestation, but also enjoys seeing the joy it brings to other people.
“Telling a story that makes someone smile, laugh or even feel inspired to create art themselves is my ultimate goal,” Myers said.
“So being recognized means a lot to me. My art will have the chance to bring joy to more people than ever before, and that makes me super happy.”
The winners and their teachers from the U.P. will be recognized with a ceremony on March 15 in the School of Art and Design at NMU’s campus. The winners and their teachers, families and friends are invited to attend. The students’ works will also be on display at the NMU DeVos Art Museum from Feb. 7 to March 15.