L-R: Callie Matthews, Maleigh Crespo. Both literary artists to receive national medals in the Scholastic Writing Awards competition.

Two MSA students will be recognized on a national level this summer for receiving top medals in the National Scholastic Writing Competition, an award presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers non-profit organization.

Callie Matthews, a Literary Arts senior from Meridian, MS, received a Silver Medal for her work titled “To the Sky.” Maleigh Crespo, a Literary Arts senior from Foxworth, MS, received a Gold Medal and American Voices Medal for her work titled “S.O.S” (Saving Ourselves). 

According to the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, more than 800,000 students submitted nearly 230,000 works of art and writing to the 2020 Scholastic Awards. The work of Callie and Maleigh were selected by some of the foremost leaders in the literary arts for excellence in originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice. Only 2,000 works received a National Medal, which places tem within the top 1% of all submissions.

Works will be published in the Online Gallery at artandwriting.org in June. Their names will also be listed in the Yearbook 2021, a companion publication to The Best The Best Teen Writing anthology which feature a selection of work by National Medalists.