Annual High School Writing Contest

1st Place
- “Of Aching Knots” by Rachel Brooks, Christian Heritage School, Trumball, CT, Mr. Benjamin Chase, 11th grade
2nd Place (tie)
- “my dog is korean” by Jeffrey Keys, Newark Academy, Livingston, NJ, Dr. Elizabeth LaPadula, 11th grade
- “My Second Birthday” by Julia Guarnaccia, Northern Highlands Regional High School, Allendale, NJ, Ms. Svea Barrett, 10th Grade
3rd Place (tie)
- “Migrant Dreams” by Uma Menon, Winter Park High School, Winter Park, FL, Dr. Danny Farmer, 12th Grade
- “Today” by Catherine Park, Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, NJ, Mr. Richard Weems, 11th grade
Honorable Mentions
- “Devotee by Annabelle Accetta-Beman, Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, NJ, Mr. Richard Weems, 11th grade
- “Nick is Still the Same” by Melissa Garcia, Northern Highlands Regional High School, Allendale, NJ, Ms. Svea Barrett, 12th Grade
- “she woke up to the birth of her twins, grown from a stranger’s unwelcome desire” by Brigid McCarthy, Communications High School, Wall Township, NJ, Kelly Lang, 11th Grade
- “Aqilokoq (Softly Falling Snow in Inuit)” by Lindsay Caruso, Northern Highlands Regional High School, Allendale, NJ, Ms. Svea Barrett 12th Grade
- “headline” by Maya Miller, Polytechnic School, Pasadena, CA, Ms. Laura Marion, 11th grade

1st Place
- “Knuckles” by Rachel Zhu, Horace Mann School, The Bronx, NY, Dr. Cornelie Ladd, 11th grade
2nd Place
- “Forgotten Melodies” by Sabrina Guo, Syosset High School, Syosset, NY, Ms. Robin Infield, 9th Grade
3rd Place
- “The Time I Wrote a Petition” by Talia Sheehan, Oshkosh North High School, Oshkosh, WI, Mr. Jason Cummings
Honorable Mention
- “A Stew of Sticks and Mud: Tales of a Lost Boyhood” by Jonathan Tenenbaum, Tenafly High School, Tenafly, NJ, Mr. Gary Whitehead, 11th grade
- “After the Audition” by Aditi Desai, Livingston High School, Livingston, NJ, Mrs. Torres, 12th grade

1st Place
- “Summer in Paris” by Emily Hashem, Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, NJ, Ms. Michelle Crimmel
2nd Place
- “Outlines” by Sabrina Guo, Syosset High School, Syosset, NY, Ms. Robin Infield, 9th Grade
3rd Place
- “Friends and Family” by Devon Fuchs, Northern Highlands Regional High School, Allendale, NJ, Ms. Svea Barrett, 9th Grade
Honorable Mentions
- “Beignet Brees” by Sylvie Adams, Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, NJ, Mr. Richard Weems, 11th Grade
- “Beauty Queen” by Samantha Parelli, Newark Academy, Livingston, NJ, Mr. Rollenhagen, 11th Grade
- “Can I Get a Thank you?” by Tegan Kingsley, Northern Highlands Regional High School, Allendale, NJ, Ms. Svea Barrett, 10th Grade
- “ice cream and swimming pools” by Sophie Han, Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, NJ, Mr. Richard Weems, 11th grade
- “Bud” by Amalie Caceres, Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, NJ, Mr. Richard Weems, 11th grade
- “Dissection” by Rachel Zhu, Horace Mann School, The Bronx, NY, Dr. Cornelie Ladd, 11th grade

1st Place
- “You Don’t Taste the Brokenness” by Maya Miller, Polytechnic School, Pasadena, CA, Ms. Marion, 10th grade
2nd Place
- “We Meet Again, Beethoven” by Nathan Phuong, Homestead High School, Fort Wayne, IN, Dr. David Price, 11th grade
3rd Place (tie)
- “Happy Half Birthday” by Taylor Bechtel, Northern Highlands Regional High School, Allendale, NJ, Ms. Svea Barrett, 12th Grade
- “Dear Society” by Maelle Rosser, Montclair High School, Montclair, NJ, Ms. Corporan, 11th Grade
Honorable Mentions
- “China Girl, China Town” by Marlena Manubag, Livingston High School, Livingston, NJ, Mrs. Susan Rothbard , 9th grade
- “Shrimp Hate Them” by Erika Kluge, Northern Highlands Regional High School, Allendale, NJ, Ms. Svea Barrett, 11th Grade
- “August in Mulund” by Shaam Beed, Livingston High School, Livingston, NJ, Mrs. Susan Rothbard, 12th Grade
- “It’s Hunting Season” by Grace Morrissey, Northern Highlands Regional High School, Allendale, NJ, Ms. Svea Barrett 12th Grade
- “interview (at the women’s shelter)” by Jessie Lin, Princeton Day School, Princeton, NJ, Mr. Thomas Quigley, 10th grade
- “August Elegy” by Jonathan Chen, Livingston High School, Livingston, NJ, Mrs. Susan Rothbard, 12th grade
- “Grandfather in Minor Key” by Jeffrey Liao, Livingston High School, Livingston, NJ, Mrs. Susan Rothbard, 11th grade

1st Place (tie)
- “My Imperfect Legacy” by Melanie Nolan, Pennsbury High School, Fairless Hills, PA, Ms. Maryann Daley, 12th grade
- “The Autopsy” by Raven Horan, West Catholic Prep High School, Philadelphia, PA, Str. Ave Armstrong, 12th grade
2nd Place
- “Elevation” by Athira Sivadas, The Tatnall School, Wilmington, DE, Mrs. Carroll, 12th grade
3rd Place
- “Things I Could Tell You About My Mother” by Jonathan Chen, Livingston High School, Livingston, NJ, Mrs. Susan Rothbard, 12th grade
Honorable Mention
- “A Mirror in Romania” by Dana Serea, Rutherford High School, Rutherford, NJ, Ms. Melissa Dougard, 9th grade

1st Place
- “Only Us” by Hye In Lee, Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, NJ, Mr. Richard Weems, 11th grade
2nd Place
- “Waterproof Mascara” by Hannah Ahn, Tappan Zee High School, Orangeburg, NY, Ms. Lauren Calcaterra, 11th Grade
3rd Place
- “Bittersweet Kheer” by Aditi Desai, , Livingston High School, Livingston, NJ, Mrs. Susan Rothbard, 11th Grade
Honorable Mentions
- “Caroline” by Charis Shin, Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, NJ, Mr. Richard Weems, 12th Grade
- “To Catch a Falling Star” by Vanessa Silva, Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, NJ, Mr. Richard Weems, 12th Grade
- “A Knife, a Shovel, and an Ex-Girlfriend Go to the Grocery Store” by Taylor Bechtel, Northern Highlands Regional High School, Allendale, NJ, Ms. Svea Barrett, 12th Grade
- “Late Parents” by Anthony Burger, Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, NJ, Mr. Richard Weems, 11th grade
- “Safe” by Analisa Faulkner, Montclair High School, Montclair, NJ, Jamie Siwinski, 9th Grade
- “Valeria” by Peren Teshyurt, Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, NJ, Mr. Richard Weems, 12th grade
- “Grace” by Katherine Nikolau, Cherokee High School, Marlton, NJ, Mrs. Pulverenti, 10th grade