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NCSS elementary students win 2017 Young Georgia Authors Regional Writing Competition
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Leshauna Nelson and Tanner Jaynes, of Oak Hill Elementary.

The Newton County School System (NCSS) is pleased to announce that three NCSS elementary school students won first place at the 2017 Griffin RESA Regional Young Georgia Authors Writing Competition. Each of the students won their grade-level in the district competition and then competed with grade-level winners from the following school systems assigned to the Griffin Regional Educational Services Agency (RESA): Butts, Fayette, Henry, Lamar, Pike, Spalding and Thomaston-Upson. 

Student submissions, which could be in the form of short stories, poetry, essays, journals, personal narratives, reports or other original student writing, were judged on four domains as reflected in the Georgia Performance Standards—ideas, organization, cohesiveness, and language.

The Young Georgia Authors Writing Competition, sponsored by the Georgia Council of Teachers of English (GCTE), is open to students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade. Newton County School System’s Regional Winners, whose winning entries will now move on to the state-level competition for another round of judging, include: 

GRADE

SCHOOL

  STUDENT

TITLE OF WORK

Kindergarten

Oak Hill Elementary

Tanner Jaynes

The Boy & the Two-Headed Dragon

2nd Grade

Oak Hill Elementary

Leshauna Nelson

Visiting Heaven for a Day

3rd Grade

South Salem Elementary

Allie Danilchuk

Alice in Winterland



According to the GCTE, “the purpose of Young Georgia Authors writing competition is to encourage students to develop enthusiasm for and expertise in their writing, to provide a context to celebrate their writing successes, and to recognize student achievement in arts and academics.”

“Writing is important across all disciplines, but as a former English teacher I value its power in the creative realm,” Benjamin Roundtree, NCSS Director of Elementary Schools, said. “Our winners from Newton County Schools demonstrate that creative writing is indeed a craft, and they are fine examples of young masters. I congratulate them and wish them continued success.”