Riley Walsh’s short film “Afterglow.”
Riley Walsh, a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School senior from Parkland, has been honored as a 2025 YoungArts winner with distinction in film.
His short film, “Afterglow,” a haunting movie about a girl reminiscing about her friend through old DVD videos, places him among over 800 of the country’s most accomplished young artists in visual, literary, and performing arts.
The YoungArts award recognizes exceptional artistic achievement, with winners chosen through a highly competitive application process adjudicated by discipline-specific artists. Recipients gain access to a lifetime of creative and professional development opportunities.
“We’re thrilled to award our largest-ever cohort of artists, selected from a record-breaking number of applications this year,” said Clive Chang, YoungArts President & CEO. “We hope this recognition provides these young people with the encouragement to keep pursuing their artistry and the assurance that YoungArts will be there as a source of support and community for the rest of their lives.”
As a winner with distinction, Walsh participated in National YoungArts Week, held January 5–12 in Miami. The week featured opportunities to present personal work, compete for cash prizes of up to $10,000, attend interdisciplinary workshops, and receive mentorship from esteemed artists, including ballerina Misty Copeland, actress Lorna Courtney, and filmmaker Abigail Hing Wen.
Walsh is now eligible for nomination as a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, a prestigious honor for high school seniors awarded by the President of the United States. YoungArts serves as the sole nominating body, selecting 60 artists annually, from which 20 are named Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
This year’s winners were selected from nearly 11,000 applicants across 10 disciplines, including classical music, dance, design, film, jazz, photography, theater, visual arts, voice, and writing.
Riley Walsh, senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School {courtesy}
Each honoree receives a $250 monetary award and access to exclusive resources, including professional development support, microgrants, and collaboration opportunities with cultural partners.
Walsh now joins an elite community of YoungArts alumni that includes renowned artists such as Timothée Chalamet, Amanda Gorman, Viola Davis, and Jon Batiste. Throughout his career, he will have opportunities to participate in YoungArts Labs, all-expenses-paid intensives in Los Angeles, New York, and Nashville.
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