How exceptional were El-Hajjar’s results at the Wisconsin Region’s Scholastic Art Awards?
Consider this. Wauwatosa East High School did very well, with 50 students receiving awards. Among them, they won seven Gold Keys, a feat El-Hajjar did alone. They also won 14 Silver Keys and 29 Honorable Mentions.
Her school also did very well. University School of Milwaukee, 25 Upper School students won 64 individual awards, with El-Hajjar winning 25 of them.
Beyond talent
El-Hajjar’s art teacher, USM Art Department Chair Jessica Michels, doesn’t use the word “talent” about her students. “I’m not a firm believer in talent,” she said in an interview last week. “This is really about her drive and her thoughtfulness with her abilities. at her age. Her work shows a sense of purpose.
“I believe in skill and, man, does she have skill! She is eager to take critique, which is unusual. She works really hard at what she’s doing. She’s always eager to learn and improve. She’s constantly creating. This is only the beginning of what she is capable of.”
In 8th grade, El-Hajjar’s first year in the competition, she won 12 Scholastic Art Awards. This year she more than doubled it, Michels noted. “Winning 12 awards in 8th grade is unheard of,” she added.
El-Hajjar’s work and support from her family have contributed, she said. “I met her last year with a middle school teacher who was looking to submit some of her work. I saw it and thought, ‘Wow, these are awesome, especially for an 8th grader who’s pretty much self-taught. During the pandemic, she was soaking up a lot of stuff from the internet, drawing, painting and trying different techniques.
More impressive than her results, is El-Hajjar’s character, Michels said.
