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Kelly Takes Top National Essay Contest Prize
(Hartford, CT) Aleema Kelly, a sixth-grade student at CREC’s Montessori Magnet School, won first place at the elementary school level in the Letters about Literature national essay contest.
The annual reading and writing contest is sponsored by The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and is for students in grades four through 12. Students read a book, poem, or speech. They are then asked to write a letter to that author about how the literature affected them personally. The letters are judged at both the state and national levels.
Kelly, of Hartford, wrote her letter about “George” to author Alex Gino, and her writing will soon be published on http://read.gov/letters. She will also receive a $1,000 prize and a congratulatory letter from the Library of Congress.
This is Kelly’s second Letters about Literature honor. Last year, she won the essay contest for Connecticut at the elementary school level and received a $100 reward, but did not place at the national level.
“We are so proud of Aleema’s amazing accomplishment,” said Principal Antonio Napoleone. “To win a national contest is not easy, and our entire school is celebrating her success.”
