Two Wauwatosa East High School students earned national recognition in the prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, one of the most competitive and celebrated programs for young artists and writers in the United States. Out of more than 110,000 student entries and 335,000 original works submitted nationwide, Cora Anderson and Isabelle Bye were selected for their exceptional talent, originality, and artistic vision.
Cora Anderson won a silver medal for the mixed media piece, “Eat You,” and Isabelle Bye won a gold medal for the painting “An Angel is Near.”
In addition to her gold medal, Isabelle has been awarded the prestigious New York Life Award, a $2,500 scholarship recognizing one of ten teens nationwide whose works explore themes of death and personal grief. Supported by the New York Life Foundation and BLICK Art Materials, this award honors the courage and depth of voice it takes to address loss through art.
Behind every exceptional student artist is a dedicated educator. A heartfelt congratulations to art teacher Kelly Frederick Mizer, whose passion, mentorship, and artistic guidance helped Cora and Isabelle develop the skill and confidence to compete and win at the national level. Ms. Mizer will also be honored at the Carnegie Hall ceremony and will receive the New York Life Educator Award along with a $500 prize. Educators credited on nationally awarded works additionally receive a $50 BLICK Art Materials gift certificate.
Since 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have celebrated teen artists and writers from across the country. Cora and Isabelle now join a celebrated roster of alumni that includes Andy Warhol, Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Amanda Gorman, Tschabalala Self, Kay WalkingStick, and Charles White, all of whom won Scholastic Awards as teens.
National Medalists and their educators will be honored at a star-studded ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City on June 9. Past ceremonies have featured special guests including Oprah Winfrey, Tina Fey, Tim Gunn, Kelly Clarkson, Nick Cannon, Jamie Lee Curtis, and many more. The students' work will also be published in an online gallery at artandwriting.org and their names will appear in Yearbook 2026, a companion to Scholastic's annual art and writing anthologies.