A Revere senior traveled out of state to attend the regional Scholastic Art and Writing Competition award ceremony and received an award for his work.

Senior Andrew Kosich submitted seven entries to the competition, four short stories and three poetry collections. He competed against thousands of entrants from eight states in the Midwest. Out of those applicants, the top ten percent are taken for judging. The artists and art professors then evaluate the submitted pieces.

Of his entries, three stories won awards, and one of the poem collections won. Kosich explained his writing style.

“I write about personal experience and dialogue between two people, [I] try to make it simplistic but emotional and powerful,” Kosich said.

Kosich attended the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition award ceremony in Iowa City, Iowa. He described his experience during the event.

“They [handed] out medals and there [was] a visceral presentation where poems were read, and the Iowa Poet Laureate spoke. It was a ceremony for the Midwest writing competition,. It was also a local Iowa Art show, so there was art and writing on display in a pseudo-exhibit,” Kosich said.

The Iowa Poet Laureate, Mary Swander read one of the winning poems to the group. She said that she was impressed by the quality and volume of the work done by the students. As poet laureate, Swander works to raise awareness for poetry and other literary arts within her state. She gave some advice to aspiring writers and poets.

“The main thing is to read as much as you can. Poetry is a sophisticated, adult art. . . . it will only come to fruition as an in depth art form [if you read],” Swander said.

Revere art teacher Robert Pierson has helped students enter the contest for many years. He explained the significance of the Scholastics Art and Writing contest.

“The who’s who of modern art and postmodern art all won gold keys in scholastics: Andy Warhol, Paul Pearlstein, it goes on and on and on. When they were in high school they [entered] this competition for their writing, or for their art, and they were recognized. . . . [It is] kinda like the Olympics of visual art and writing,” Pierson said.

Pierson also said that Kosich was the first person from Revere to win at the Scholastic Art and Writing Contest for his writing.
Kosich said that winning at the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition has sparked a new fire to continue improving his work.