Last fall, 3,000 middle and high school students from around the world submitted visual art entries to the New York Times "Coming of Age Art Contest," which asked: What can you show us that might help explain what it’s like to be a teenager right now?

Junior Ellen Chen’s painting Consumption was one of the contest’s 24 winning artworks. Ellen’s painting was completed in the spring of 2020, and it depicts life in isolation during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The evocative piece captures the deep yearning for connection felt by young people during the prolonged pause from beloved routines and social opportunities.

Congratulations, Ellen, on this exciting recognition!