Congratulations to the many winners of our 2021 Writing Contest! This year, we had 231 entries! Forty new teachers submitted their students’ work (59 teachers in total). Thirty-one high schools participated.
Five first-time teachers had winning submissions. There was heavy participation in the essay and poetry divisions. A total of 20 judges assisted through multiple rounds.
Thanks to all the amazing students and teachers who submitted work, to the incredible volunteers who gave of their time in judging the contest, and to NJCTE Writing Contest Chair and Board Member Lynn Kelly!
Please join us in congratulating our winners!
1st Place- Essay
Title: “There Is Promise of Light Even in Darkness”
Student Name: Heather Roselle
School: Point Pleasant Borough High School
Teacher: Mrs. Lynn Thompson
2nd Place- Essay
Title: “More Than a Hashtag, More Than a Movement”
Student Name: Allanah Mednard
School: Pascack Hills High School
Teacher: Jamie Marootian
3rd Place- Essay
Title: “A Tumultuous Time”
Student Name: Kieran Cunningham
School: Morristown High School
Teacher: Claudine Priola
1st Place- Poetry
Title: “Elegy for My Stupid Brother in College”
Student Name: Catherine Park
School: Bergen County Academies
Teacher: Richard Weems
2nd Place- Poetry
Title: “Foraging”
Student Name: Kristen Park
School: High Technology High School
Teacher: Kristy Agazarian
3rd Place– Poetry
Title: “on the brown couch”
Student Name: Rebecca Guzman
School: Bruriah School for Girls
Teacher: Rachel Zylberman
1st Place– Fiction
Title: “Mirror From the Past”
Student Name: Celeste McKenzie
School: North Brunswick Township High School
Teacher: Carolyn Hassenkamp
2nd Place– Fiction
Title: “Two Days, One Step”
Student Name: Tessa Rothman
School: Glen Ridge High School
Teacher: Allison Gallo
3rd Place- Fiction
Title: “Two Truths and a Lie”
Student Name: Gian Lee
School: Academy of the Holy Angels
Teacher: Nancy Schneberger
New Jersey Council of Teachers of English 