Port Jervis Senior Wins Prestigious Scholastic Gold Key Art Award

Gabrielle Polarski has received the Gold Key Award for her digital art in the 2025 round of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, the highest level of recognition.  Port Jervis has a long-standing tradition of high-quality visual arts programming and has regularly participated in Scholastic since 2016. 

The local Scholastic regional affiliate, which began in 2009, serves Sullivan, Ulster, Dutchess, and Orange Counties. The event kicks off each year with the Regional Affiliate Awards Ceremony and Exhibit on February 7, 2025, at SUNY New Paltz.

Students compete against each other in a wide variety of categories. Awards include Honorable Mention, Silver Key, and Gold Key. Competition is very high for all awards, with several thousand works of art entered annually for the regional contest alone.

Silver Key-winning works of art will be exhibited at the regional showcase, while Gold Key works, like Gabrielle Polarski's, will exhibit and then move on to the national level competition to compete against all Gold Key winners across the nation.

“My artwork, "Lured into the Deep" was a piece I worked on for some time.  This award was really an amazing opportunity for me, it is a new and wonderful experience for my last year in high school.” says Gabrielle.

Art teacher Liz Maloney had encouraged Gabrielle to apply for the award.  "I am very proud of Ellie.  She is receiving national recognition for her work. And it is an honor for my colleague Mrs. Horst and I to see our student be a part of this program and accepted into the Regional Affiliate, and now sent onto nationals this year."

Congrats Gabrielle!  Port Jervis is proud of you!  #goport!