South Senior Peter Ruffolo Receives National Gold Medal
Wheaton Warrenville South Senior Peter Ruffolo has been awarded a National Gold Medal by the Scholastic Art and Writing Organization for his digital artwork titled, Things Unseen.
Peter is the first District 200 student ever to win this prestigious award.
Below is the statement Peter’s AP Photography teacher, Carrie Beck, read at the April Board of Education Meeting where Peter was recognized.
Nearly 340,000 works of art and writing were submitted to the 2019 Scholastic Awards. Peter’s work was selected by some of the foremost leaders in the visual and literary arts for excellence in originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision. Receiving this National Medal places Peter within the top 1% of all submissions.
Since 1923, the Awards have celebrated teen artists and writers from across the country. Peter is now a part of that legacy, joining the ranks of celebrated alumni like artists Andy Warhol, Robert Indiana, and Kay WalkingStick; writers Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, and Joyce Carol Oates; and filmmakers Lena Dunham and Ken Burns.
Not only has Peter been like a local celebrity as I’ve shared the news with the entire Tiger community, but he will continue to be celebrated for his accomplishments. Peter has been invited to New York to be honored with his fellow Gold Medalists. Additionally, Peter’s work will be published in the artandwriting.org online galleries and his name will be listed in the 2019 Yearbook. This is a companion publication to The Best Teen Art and The Best Teen Writing Anthologies. Lastly, Peter’s Gold Medal will make him eligible for various Art School Scholarships. We are excited to see where these opportunities take Peter.
We truly could not think of a more deserving art student to be celebrated in this way. We are so proud to have Peter in our Program and are ecstatic to watch his talent and work ethic be honored. To the School Board, Dr. Schuler and Mr. Claypool, thank you for your constant support for the Arts. Arts truly makes a difference in our students’ lives.
