By Michael Ganci, Syntax for the Bronxville School

Feb. 10, 2021: Bronxville High School junior Olivia Cevasco has earned a Gold Key award at the prestigious 2021 Hudson-to-Housatonic Writing Region Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition for her dramatic script, “First Lady Astronauts.”

Cevasco said her screenplay is based on the story of 13 female aviators, nicknamed the “Mercury 13,” who successfully passed NASA’s astronaut tests in the early 1960s but were ultimately not accepted as astronauts because of their gender.

“‘First Lady Astronauts’ is another ‘Hidden Figures’ story about gender biases against women at NASA that prevented women from reaching their full potential as engineers and astronauts,” Cevasco said. “I hope to be a screenwriter someday and turn this screenplay into a movie for the big screen.”

This year, nearly 1,700 works were submitted to the regional level for consideration by a panel of novelists, editors, teachers, poets, librarians, journalists and other creative professionals. Cevasco’s work was recognized as one of the most outstanding works submitted among her peers. Out of the 104 Gold Keys awarded, she is one of seven students to receive a Gold Key in the dramatic script category.

“Olivia is a bright, kind, hardworking young lady with a great imagination and positive attitude,” teacher Chris Doyle said. “She sees the best in people and appreciates when people give their best. This helps her to write and work at the craft of writing.”

As a Gold Key award recipient, Cevasco has automatically advanced to the national level of the competition. She is also eligible to apply for a Scholastic Awards Summer Scholarship to attend a summer writing program. National medalists will be announced on March 17.

Presented by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program identifies students with exceptional artistic and literary talents.

Pictured:  Olivia Cevasco

Photo courtesy the Bronxville School

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