Back “in the day,” as the hip kids say, Zainab Adisa’s siblings were into technology and math. But Adisa enjoyed writing.
She then became a student at Pittsburgh CAPA, and the rest, as the older generation says, is history.
Adisa, 17, was recently named a national Gold Medal Portfolio recipient in the 2017 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, which is the nation’s longest running and most prestigious recognition and scholarship program for teens in creative writing. Adisa was one of 16 high school seniors selected for the honor out of thousands of nationwide entries. As part of the award, Adisa will be awarded a $10,000 cash scholarship.
“The writing program (at CAPA) has really grown and I’ve become such a good writer,” Adisa told the New Pittsburgh Courier. “I feel like my writing has definitely come a long way.”
Adisa, who will graduate June 11, said she is still choosing between American University or Susquehanna University for college. Adisa said she wants to double major in international studies and photojournalism, with a minor in Arabic or French.
The portfolio that Adisa submitted to the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, which administers the awards, included creative writings in poetry, fiction, non-fiction and dramatic writing.
“Our wonder and amazement at the creative output of our country’s youth —and the dedication of our extraordinary educators—never ceases, and this year is no exception,” said Virginia McEnerney, executive director of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. “The young people being recognized for the 2017 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are to be celebrated for their creative and critical thinking, their bravery in telling their own stories on their own terms, and their inventiveness in recording and recreating their worlds. Watch closely, because among this…are members of the next generation of great American artists and writers.”
“I really like the literary arts program here (at CAPA) because we’re introduced to a range of different genres and you can experience them all at different times,” Adisa said. “If I had to pick my favorites, I’d probably say playwriting and poetry, and I’ve started dabbling into non-fiction.”
Her writing portfolio, entitled “Who We’ve Become,” included creative writings detailing her personal experiences on race and ethnicity in America, along with the current debate of “What defines an American.”
Adisa’s work will be featured in a special exhibition at The New School’s Parsons School of Design and Pratt Institute’s Pratt Manhattan Gallery, opening June 2 in New York City. Adisa is also invited to be honored on stage in a special ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
“Seeing your work produced on stage is just one of the most amazing things I’ve ever experienced,” Adisa said.
Adisa, whose extended family is from West Africa, said that “everyday conversations (with them) gives me ideas and makes me want to explore more.”
And Adisa said her teachers and overall experience at CAPA have been very beneficial. “At (Pittsburgh) Dillworth (elementary), I was introduced to it, whereas CAPA was where I really gained the tools I needed to become a writer.”
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