Ariel Che ('23) has won three Silver Regional Medals from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards -- the nation's longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens. Founded in 1923, the contest includes such notable alumni as photographer Richard Avedon and painters Andy Warhol and Cy Twombly.

Che submitted three watercolor paintings that focus on the topic of "food around the world." Each watercolor took 5-6 hours.

"I wanted to record the foods I've enjoyed and the countries I've traveled to," said Che. "My paintings show the unique identity of each culture through their traditional foods."

Che seeks balance through her paintings as well as extracurricular activities. After attending a Shadow Day, she transferred to JSerra her sophomore year.

"Shadowing a student helped me see and experience the classes for myself," she said. "I wanted a better and more diverse education that would help me learn things that I can apply in the long term. The students and teachers were kind and friendly, and the varieties of clubs and activities really drew me into the JSerra community. It's what helps me balance out the stress from studying."

In addition to painting, Che is also a member of the Girls Golf Team and Environmentality Club. She also enjoys being a LEAD member so that she can help other Shadow students get better acquainted with JSerra.

Che hopes to attend Tufts University and possibly major in Math.

Regional winners of the 2022 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards will be honored at a virtual ceremony live on Thursday, March 10 at 4:00 p.m. To register for the celebration, click here.

Russian Borscht by Ariel Che

Moon Cakes by Ariel Che

Sushi by Ariel Che