(New Brunswick, NJ—May 15, 2018) Essays by Allison Chang of Bayonne and Kearny residents Eric Araque and Alfonse Sessa have been chosen for Distinguished Honors from a total of 1,700 entries in the New Jersey Center for the Book/Library of Congress Letters About Literature, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech High School.
In the Level III category, which covers 9th-12th graders, Chang and Sessa both earned Distinguished Honors for writing essays/letters addressed to R.J. Palacio, author of Wonder, while Araque wrote to Victoria Aveyard, author of Red Queen.
These three High Tech students had been honored, along with others, at a statewide reception at the Livingston College Student Center of Rutgers University on May 8th.
Judges for Letters About Literature include authors, publishers, librarians and educators. The first two rounds of reading occurs at the Library of Congress, which determines which letters advance to state-level judging. First place state winners only advance for national judging.
Letters About Literature, a reading/writing contest for students in grades 4-12, recognizes students who read a book, poem, or speech and compose letters (essays) to the authors, whether living or dead, on how the authors’ works affect them personally. Judges review letters on state and national levels.
Tens of thousands of students from across the country enter Letters About Literature every year.
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| Allison Chang of Bayonne and Kearny residents Eric Araque and Alfonse Sessa |