<p>I have kind of a weird question for anyone who might know: I got an e-mail on February 12th telling me my address was entered into the system incorrectly, that notifications of “award status” were being sent out, and that I should reply to the e-mail with my “correctly formatted address.” Is that just a routine address check thing (i.e. do even non-winners get “notified of their award status”), or is it possible that a Gold Key notification is coming in the mail?
(I should add that I’m a Region-at-Large portfolio applicant from Canada and am not trying to sound expectant…I just don’t want to get my hopes up if it’s a routine server thing.)</p>
<p>Gold Key region at large. </p>
<p>Does this mean I will be receiving cool goodies in the mail?</p>
<p>Hey inhabited_world, this is from the Scholastic website under “Find out how to apply”:</p>
<p>Students and teachers who are recognized with regional awards will be notified within one to three months of the regional deadline. Due to the volume of submissions, only those students earning awards will be notified. </p>
<p>I’ve seen it in many other places too. With 150,000+ entries, why would they do a routine address check? So, if they asked you for your correct address, my guess is that at the very least you were under strong consideration.</p>
<p>The simplest way to ease your mind is to ask your teacher. lacrimosa, tsubomi1993 and I all heard last week about our WRAL gold keys. I heard it from my teacher; I assume they did too. I think wheatbread is right that notifications of portfolio awards come out the same time as the rest, but it is possible that porfolio decisions are made at a later time because there is more works to go through and the awards mean more. I hope you don’t have to wait too much longer, but I bet you’ll be happy when you do :)</p>
<p>my class found out last friday from our creative writing teacher. we’re in alabama, so we were region-at-large.</p>
<p>Okay, so I am correct in believing that they are only directly emailing the teachers?? Weird, because I don’t remember ever submitting my teacher’s email address to ARAL… only my school’s physical address… hmmm, I’m not sure… well, I asked my teacher anyways, and no word, so I figure that means I did not place.</p>
<p>Oh well, I still have another year. Congrats to everyone that has won and best of luck to those who still haven’t heard yet.</p>
<p>TKD, I tend to agree with wheatbread that teachers of portfolio winners have been notified at the same time (i.e. last week, assuming you’re in WRAL) as teachers of winners in other categories, but in the end we’re both guessing, lol.</p>
<p>I hear yah on your side question. I’ve had my share of head-scratching disappointments, but there’s really nothing better to do than move on and hope for a better result next time. We have to live with the fact that judging art, music and writing will always be somewhat subjective and that we will hit our head against the wall a lot more often than go through the door. In between the pats on our backs, we have to trust our writing ability, including our ability to revise and improve. Just sharing some random thoughts. Hope you won’t mind.</p>
<p>aswagga, thanks for confirming that last week was the time teachers were notified for WRAL awards. ZnO, my guess is that Scholastic informed our schools of all their winners and then they told individual teachers. So, those who haven’t heard yet should ask their teachers or the principal’s secretary. ZnO, you have almost a whole year ahead of you. Now that you have additional motivation, I’m sure you’ll write at least a few kickass pieces :)</p>
<p>Way to go, jrmints! You’ll receive a 9x12 envelope with a cover letter plus one certificate and gold key for each award you won. Hope that’s cool in your eye.</p>
<p>responding to your post to me from a page ago – awww thanks, straightoar! </p>
<p>it’s kind of weird, because the teacher who wrote my rec for my portfolio was my iowa young writers’ studio workshop teacher, and, like, she lives in washington state (aka 23942342 miles from my joiz abode) – and is, therefore, not affiliated with my school at ALL. so idk if any of my teachers from school would know anything? idk tralala</p>
<p>Hey FC, nice to hear from ya. You put down your school’s address in your application, right? Then I guess that Scholastic informed your school of all their winners and left it up to them to tell individual teachers. Since no teacher from your school wrote your recommendation, you should just ask the principal’s secretary. Good luck! Anyway, since you’ve gone to Iowa, do you really need a Scholastic medal to validate your talent? :)</p>
<p>Straightoar, </p>
<p>Absolutely. Supercool, I’d say 
Thanks for the response!</p>
<p>I am anxious to know if anyone from the NYC writing region has been notified yet.</p>
<p>I didn’t include my teacher’s email address, but they mailed something to my school</p>
<p>FC, if i won something i think they would have notified the teacher. maybe the school, but first and foremost, your teacher in another state. since they notify by e-mail, they send the e-mail to your sponsor.</p>
<p>Thanks Wheatbread! 
Yes i am Region at Large. I was a bit confused at first but i suppose that makes sense-- actually, why arent participants eligible for silver keys/ honorable mention…?</p>
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<p>Yes. My daughter’s teacher got an email that her writing portfolio got a gold key.</p>
<p>Congrats to your daughter! That is a wonderful achievement. I assume she is in WRAL. Since we are still trying to find out if RAL portfolio winners are notified later than other RAL winners, could you tell us whether her teacher received the email this past week? My school heard two weeks ago from Scholastic about WRAL gold keys, but we didn’t have portfolio winners. Thanks.</p>
<p>^ Thanks. Her teacher got an email on 24th or 25th of Feb. She is in Regions-at-large.</p>
<p>Thanks, vp. We now have one instance of the teachers of RAL portfolio winners and those of other RAL winners being notified at the same time.</p>
<p>How many regional profolio gold keys are given in WRAL?</p>