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St. Mark’s Artists and Writers Earn Recognition at State and National Levels

May 22, 2026

St. Mark’s students continue to distinguish themselves through exceptional creativity and artistic achievement at both the national and regional levels.

Congratulations to Ayeon (Arin) Kim ’27 and Dayeon (Zoey) Lee ’27, who earned top honors in Congressman Jim McGovern’s 2026 Congressional Art Awards for High School Students, receiving first place and third place, respectively.

Sponsored annually by the Congressional Institute, the nationwide competition recognizes and encourages artistic talent among high school students. Since its inception in 1982, more than 650,000 students have participated in the Artistic Discovery competition. Students submit artwork through their congressional representative’s office, where panels of local artists select winning entries.

As the first-place winner, Arin Kim’s artwork will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. Winners are also honored both in their home districts and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, DC.

Earlier this year, several St. Markers were also recognized in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, one of the nation’s most prestigious programs for creative teens. Students earned honors across a range of artistic and academic disciplines, including film and animation, drawing, painting, mixed media, illustration, and writing.

Qianqian (Cindy) Di ’28 was additionally nominated for the American Visions & Voices Award, the highest regional honor presented by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

Gold Key

  • Qianqian (Cindy) Di ’28 — “Heart to Heart” (Film & Animation; American Visions & Voices Nominee)
  • Xinyue (Sherry) Mi ’26 — “Minority v. Majority Rule: The Practice of Democracy in State of Tennessee v. John Scopes” (Critical Essay)
  • Xinyue (Sherry) Mi ’26 — “Gift, Conquest, or Treacherous Breeze? Perceptions of Love in Pre-Imperial Chinese and Golden Age Roman Poetry” (Critical Essay)

Silver Key

  • Din Yi Ling ’28 — “Vanitas Purgatory” (Drawing)
  • Xinyue (Sherry) Mi ’26 — “A Performance That Must Not Go Wrong” (Critical Essay)

Honorable Mention

  • Charlotte Han ’27 — “Companions in the Hibiscus Grove” (Mixed Media)
  • Si Ah Jang ’27 — “Chance, Choice, and Lost” (Illustration)
  • Isabelle Lee ’27 — “Gluttony” (Mixed Media)
  • Xinyao (Lillian) Li ’27 — “Chances” (Painting)
  • Xinyao (Lillian) Li ’27 — “Guarded” (Drawing)
  • Rachel Ding ’26 — “Antigone vs. Medea: The Continuum of Protagonists and Antagonists” (Critical Essay)

Congratulations to these talented St. Markers on their remarkable accomplishments and contributions to the arts.