An eighth-grade student at Edgecomb’s Center for Teaching and Learning has been recognized at the national level by the Scholastic Writing Awards. Sawyer Linehan of Westport Island won a National Gold Key Award by Scholastic’s Alliance for Young Artists and Writers. Sawyer was honored in the category of personal essay/memoir.

To qualify at the national level, Sawyer first received a Gold Key in the Northeast At-Large Regional Awards, where he was honored along with five of his CTL peers: Aelia Russell of Boothbay (Gold Key for poetry), Kate Mason of Whitefield (Silver Key for poetry), Maren Cooper of Westport Island (Honorable Mentions for poetry and personal essay/memoir), Jack Castonia of Edgecomb (Honorable Mention for poetry), and Sam Cusano of Topsham (Honorable Mention for poetry).

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are the gold standard for recognizing the creative achievements of U.S. students in grades 7-12. The contest dates back to 1923. Past winners include Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Robert Redford, Joyce Carol Oates, Stephen King and John Updike.

Sawyer’s award will be distributed in a ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City June 6.