Kollyne Thomas ‘16 is constantly searching for the perfect connection of words. A voracious reader amongst a bevy of readers in her family, Kollyne’s love for literature helped mold her into her current status as a meticulous writer. Since the time she could hold a pencil, Kollyne’s evolution as a wordsmith has moved from the short story realm into the world of poetry.

Such devotion has led her down the path of “metaphors and similes that have helped shape” her life as a writer. Thus, her recent work entitled “Motel,” a string of three poems written at different stages of her life about teen love, has been recognized with a Gold Key in the 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

Kollyne was one of four Gold Award recipients for poetry recognized in Florida in this year’s competition, the regional division of a national program dedicated to honoring and exhibiting exceptional works by students in grades 7 through 12. The nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists & Writers (the Alliance), which has been running the competition since 1923, received a record-breaking 320,000 works of art and writing for adjudication at the regional level in 29 categories, which include interests like short story, drawing, poetry, photography, sculpture, humor, editorial cartoons, and video game design.

The Awards have highlighted the work of millions of students over the years, including renowned alumni who have gone on to become brilliant in their respective field like Andy Warhol, Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Stephen King, Richard Linklater, and Lena Dunham.

“It’s unbelievable to be part of an illustrious group,” said Kollyne, who has been attending Farragut since kindergarten. “I didn’t really know what to expect when I entered the poem so when I found out I had received the Gold, I was ecstatic.”