The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

Bowen, who enjoys studying photography, said her classmates nominated her image of a multicolored turtle for the competition.

“I named it ‘Squirt’ because it reminded me of ‘Finding Nemo’ for some reason,’’ Bowen said. “It kind of looks like a painting.’’

Judging on originality, personal vision, and technical skill, teams of educators and artists in Massachusetts chose her photograph as a Gold Key and American Vision winner from among 10,500 pieces of individual student artwork.

Each year, students in grades 7 to 12 submit photographs, paintings, jewelry, and various art portfolios. This year the contest included a writing component, to which students could submit short stories, poetry, or journalistic pieces.

The addition of writing awards makes the local program, which began in 1950, more like similar programs around the country. “It is to expand the opportunity for more students,’’ said John Michael Gray, Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program director.

“A number of kids who submitted writing also submitted art and won awards for both,’’ he noted.

A panel of judges voted to award the Gold Keys, Silver Keys, and/or honorable mentions. All Gold Key winners from across the country compete in their category in New York.

Additionally, the top five Gold Key winners in art participate in the American Vision competition, and the top five writers in the America Voices competition.

Sarthak Pani, a Brookline High School senior, won a Gold Key and an American Voices award for his personal essay, “Worlds Apart,’’ which was inspired by time he spent in India with his family.

“They set me up with an NGO [nongovernmental organization] and I worked with prostitutes promoting safe sex and education,’’ Pani said. “I was really struck by the level of poverty and the social condition and decided to write a piece about it.’’

Both Pani and Julia Lyons of Masconomet Regional High School also won $2,000 Boston Globe scholarships for their written and art work, respectively.

The American Voices winners are Pani, Brandan Griffin from Oliver Ames High School, Lee Altman from Lexington High School, Andrew Ridker from Brookline High, and Kylie Baker from Medford High School.

The American Vision winners are Bowen, Simon Ban from Monument Mountain Regional High School, Jerry Suh from Belmont High School, Gold Andrews from Brockton High School, and Amanda Daigle from Oakmont Regional High School.

Andrews said her winning work, which used charcoal and white acrylic paint, was “inspired by Picasso’s cubism pieces.’’

After earning two honorable mentions in the past, Ban, a senior, said he expected his jewelry to win a Gold Key. He described the piece, “Ramhorn,’’ a wire wrapped around a skunk’s skull, as inspired by friends.

“They do these wire wraps and pendants with stones and crystals. I wanted to buy one originally, but decided to try it by myself first,’’ Ban said.

The Scholastic awards ceremony is today at John Hancock Hall in Boston. The Silver Keys will be awarded at 12:30 p.m., followed by Gold Keys at 3.

Meanwhile, work by Gold and Silver Key artists is on exhibit at the State Transportation Building (10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150) through March 19. The show is open and free to the public weekdays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sundays noon-5.