Students Earn National Scholastic Awards

Four Upper School students from University School of Milwaukee were named national medalists for the 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Aida El-Hajjar ’27 earned both a gold and silver medal and American Visions Award, while Rosie Barksdale ’27, Jasleen Chahal ’26, and Harini Tallam ’26 each earned a silver medal for their respective work (see below).

• Rosie Barksdale ’27, silver medal in photography for "I AM ELIZABETH"
• Jasleen Chahal ’26: silver medal in personal essay & memoir for "Rebellion or Retreat"
• Aida El-Hajjar ’27: gold medal and American Visions Award in mixed media for "Of Softness and Survival" and silver medal for “We Still Carry the Keys”
• Harini Tallam ’26: silver medal in critical essay for “The Silent Battle Between Conscience and Action”

The students previously earned Gold Keys at the regional competition in January and advanced to the national competition. Only 2,000 works received a national medal in art or writing, which places these students in the top 1% of all submissions. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7 through 12. They joined other USM students who earned awards at the regional level for art and writing.

The below students contributed more about the inspiration behind their pieces:

Aida El-Hajjar:

“The piece “Of Softness and Survival” is inspired by the book “Ways of Seeing” by John Berger and by an exhibit using felt at Kenilworth Art Studios. The piece “We Still Carry the Keys” is inspired by the book “There, There” by Tommy Orange, as well as the sumud (an Arabic word meaning "steadfastness") that I observe in my mom and grandma. I was excited and surprised when I found out I had received national medals.” 

Harini Tallam:

“My piece was originally a piece I wrote for English class, but I was proud of the work I put into it, and that is the reason I sent it. I love “Hamlet,” and reading it a second time this school year really helped my piece become an essay that I am really proud of. I just submitted my piece for fun because I was proud of the work I did, so I was super shocked when I found out. I was also very happy because I have always been someone who reads a lot, so being recognized for the fact that I can write well was amazing.”

Jasleen Chahal:

“My cultural perspective has always shaped my writing. It’s such a core part of who I am, woven into every fiber of my being whether I like it or not, so it naturally becomes what I want to explore and represent. You don’t often hear from a Punjabi Sikh voice, and because my culture can feel overlooked or misunderstood, I try to share it in a way that feels honest and fully my own. I was honestly pretty caught up in my trip to France, but even with last year’s gold medal and this year’s silver, what stays with me most is how people connect with my writing. No matter where we come from, simple words can make someone feel understood in so many different ways. That sense of connection has always meant more to me than any title.”