Lawrence High senior Sam Dykes recently won 13 Scholastic art awards for his photography. He hadn't done any photography prior to his freshman year. Now Dykes is focusing on photo/art and plans to major in architecture next year.

The work of a Lawrence student has been named the best youth photography in the country.

Sam Dykes, a senior at Lawrence High School, was awarded a gold medal in the national Scholastic Art and Writing Awards on Monday. Another photograph of his received a silver medal.

Angelia Perkins, LHS photography teacher, said she was surprised to see Dykes receive both the first- and second-place award in the competition.

“National Scholastic Art Awards are tough and never expected,” she said. “… Our world is bombarded with visual imagery, so having Sam (Dykes) recognized at the national level for a unique work that sets him apart from others is quite an honor.”

The Scholastic awards have 29 categories of art and writing for students in grades seven through 12, according to the awards’ website. The annual competition began in 1923, and thousands of students apply each year.

Dykes won the gold medal in photography for his work “Display of Unity.” In that image, a woman’s solemn face is blurred and repeated next to the spine of a fish. Dykes said his intent was to make a statement about commonality.

“What I was trying to portray was kind of how everyone is equal and together,” he explained. “We start together in the same place, and we’ll all end up basically as a skeleton somewhere.”

Lawrence High School photography student Sam Dykes' photo, Display of Unity.

The woman in the image is Dykes’ mother, Mary, whom he said he often uses in his work because he likes the unique quality of her facial expressions.

“She can get that look that not a lot of people can get, and I can relate that to a lot of different images,” he said.

Dykes received the silver medal for his photograph “Self Contemplation.” In that image, a man lies on his back under swirls of smoke. As the idea behind it is focused on the individual, Dykes said, he sees his two award-winning works as very different.

“‘Self Contemplation’ is more about what’s happening within the guy’s head and thoughts,” he said.

Lawrence High School photography student Sam Dykes' photo, Contemplation.

In February, Dykes received seven first-place awards in photography at the regional Scholastic competition, which qualified those pieces for nationals. Those awards followed a turning point for Dykes, who said he recently shifted his focus from athletics to art.

Being new to the Scholastic competition, Dykes said he wasn’t sure what to expect at the national level, but he realizes getting two works recognized is a pretty big deal. He said he’s looking forward to what that exposure may bring him.

“I’m really excited about it, to see what will happen and where they’ll go and if I get any more comments or input on what people think,” he said. “That’s always helpful and good to hear.”

Dykes’ work and other art and writing that received national gold medals will be part of an exhibit in New York. A portion of the art and writing will be selected in late summer for a national tour.