Fairfax County Public Schools students at 22 schools won regional awards in the 2016 Scholastic Writing Awards Competition. FCPS students won 26 regional Gold Key awards, 51 Silver Key awards, and 66 Honorable Mentions.
Gold Key winners include:
Emma Choi of Marshall High School, two Gold Keys for poetry and two Gold Keys for short story. One of Choi’s poems is an American Voices nominee.
Olivia Dabich of Marshall High School for writing portfolio
Aline Dolinh of Oakton High School for writing portfolio and poetry
Marriya Schwarz of Oakton High School for critical essay and dramatic script
Sarah Benson of South County High for dramatic script, poetry, and personal essay-memoir. Benson’s personal essay-memoir is an American Voices nominee.
Maya Pearson of Robinson Secondary School for humor
Hanna Un of Lake Braddock Secondary School for short story
Silver Key winners include:
Megan Baranowsky of Kilmer Middle School for humor
Nicole Beymer of Marshall High School for poetry
Emma Choi of Marshall High School for flash fiction and two Silver Keys for poetry
Olivia Dabich of Marshall High School for short story
Emily Goff of Herndon High School for flash fiction and three Silver Keys for poetry
Matthew Harrington of Marshall High School for dramatic script
Jungsoo Kim of McLean High for personal essay-memoir
Kathleen Kim of Marshall High School for personal essay-memoir
Helen Shi of Oakton High School for poetry
Jessica Smith of Langley High School for personal essay-memoir
Beteel Abuageel of South County High for poetry
Sarah Benson of South County High for short story and writing portfolio
Abbi Conklin of South County High for poetry and short story
Alexander Davis of Twain Middle School for critical essay
Maya Pearson of Robinson Secondary School for personal essay-memoir
Keighan Speer of South County High School for poetry
The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. The Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent and present their remarkable work to the world through the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.
FCPS Student Publication Finalists
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) student publications have been named finalists for the Pacemaker award, presented by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA). Among them are:
“The Clan” from McLean High School, editors Sajanee Chithrahjan, Habiba Feroze, Bianca Rossell, and Yande Thiaw; and Meghan Percival, adviser.
“Sentry,” Robinson Secondary School (middle school yearbook); Audrey Hicks and Jaskeerat Raheja, editors, and Pat Hinman, adviser.
“Lair,” Lake Braddock Secondary School (high school yearbook); Gabriella Troncoso and Rachel Ungerleider, editors, and Kathryn Helmke, adviser.
“Above & Beyond,” Robinson Secondary School (high school yearbook); Sam Sturiale, Asha Chadha, and Daly Hong, editors, and Pat Hinman, adviser.
NSPA's Pacemaker competition has been considered by many to be student journalism's highest honor.
Entries are judged by teams of professionals based on coverage and content, quality of writing and reporting, leadership, design, photography, and graphics. Winners will be announced at the Journalism Education Association (JEA)-NSPA spring national high school journalism convention in April.