Great Oak Sophomore Earns Regional Gold Key Award For Personal Essay

TEMECULA, CA — Great Oak High School Sophomore Hayley Foo was recently honored as the Regional Gold Key Award winner for Personal Essay in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

Hayley is the only Riverside County student to win this year's prestigious award.

According to the website, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are a national recognition program for creative teens in grades 7-12, presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. Each entry is judged for originality, skill, and the emergence of personal vision or voice.

"Gold Key winners are considered for national honors, including scholarships, inclusion in the National Exhibition, and the annual anthology of award-winning teen writing and art." Students receiving Gold Keys, Silver Keys, Honorable Mentions, or American Voices & Visions Nominations are celebrated within their communities through local exhibitions and ceremonies. Though Foo's essay was not recognized nationally, she is still grateful for the regional accolade.

Community supporters of arts and youth achievements lauded her creativity and personal expression. The star student expressed that her teachers at Great Oak High School, especially in AP English Language, have encouraged her greatly.

Hayley said of her teacher, "My AP English Language teacher, Ms. Woelke, has been an incredible mentor to me."

She spoke on what the award means to her in a statement to Patch.

"I’m beyond thrilled and honored to receive the Regional Gold Key Award from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Writing has been a journey of self-expression, growth, and connection, and this recognition means so much to me. I’m grateful to everyone who has supported and encouraged me along the way, especially my AP Language teacher, Ms. Abigail Woelke. Her valuable feedback and guidance have been instrumental in honing my craft this year. I'm excited to continue this journey, embracing new challenges and opportunities to share stories that inspire and connect us all."