Several Kent School middle school students have recently been recognized for their excellence in writing with award-winning essays on a variety of topics. On Thursday, April 7, the winners of Kent School’s Kudner Leyon Creative Writing Essay Contest were announced. Middle school students were asked to write on one of two topics: “If You Were Stranded on a Deserted Island with Only Three, Things What Would You Take and Why” or “Has Society Become Too Reliant on Technology?”
Seventh Grade student and third place winner, Campbell Parkhurst wrote about his survival on a tropical island with only a rain coat, a mirror and a first aid kit. Sixth grade student and second place winner, Tessa Schut wrote about being the lone survivor in a plane crash and how she used a tarp, a machete and a pan to survive. Grayson McKenzie, an eighth grade student, was the only finalist to write about the overuse of technology. Her essay earned first prize. Grayson creatively intertwined the use of technology and blogging in her writing to illustrate the influence of technology not only in the creative content of her essay but in how she prepared to write her essay.
On April 13, two Kent School students were honored for their prize-winning Character Counts Essays. Annabelle Gillespie won second place among all eighth grade students in Kent County. Seventh grade student, Kayla Flood, earned first place among all seventh grade students in Kent County. Kayla wrote about the importance of all five pillars and how each one is essential to her daily family life. Annabelle chose to write about the importance of good sportsmanship and citizenship. Her essay described her personal experience witnessing how good sportsmanship is not only the right thing to practice, it can also help you to victory.
Middle school language arts teacher, Holly Roddy said, “We place great emphasis on strong writing skills at Kent School whether it is through our grammar classes, creative writing or responsive writing. We are helping our students develop strong communication skills which will serve them well in secondary schools and beyond. We are very proud of the accomplishments these students are able to achieve and the messages they are able to convey through their writing.”
For more information about Kent School visit www.kentschool.org or call 410-778-4100 ext. 110. Kent School is an independent school serving children from pre-k through eighth grade. The school’s mission is to guide our students in realizing their potential for academic, artistic, athletic, and moral excellence. Our school’s family-oriented, supportive, student-centered environment fosters the growth of honorable, responsible citizens for our country and our diverse world.
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