National Council of Teachers of English Announces Recipients of the National Writing Award: The Humanities and a Freer Tomorrow听
Students responded to the National Endowment for the Humanities鈥 Jefferson Lecture听
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE听
Contact: Lisa Avetisian, lavetisian@ncte.org听听
June 13, 2024 (Champaign, Illinois)鈥罢丑别鈥National Council of Teachers of English鈥(狈颁罢贰),鈥in partnership with the National Humanities Alliance (NHA), congratulates the recipients of the National Writing Award: The Humanities and a Freer Tomorrow.听
Nearly 100 eleventh- and twelfth-grade students from 19 states responded to Ruth J. Simmons鈥 2023 Jefferson Lecture, 鈥淔acing History to Find a Better Future.鈥 Simmons delivered this prestigious lecture at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in September 2023. The National Endowment for the Humanities鈥 Jefferson Lecture is the highest honor the federal government bestows for distinguished intellectual achievement in the humanities, making it an ideal platform for student reflection and exploration.听听
鈥淪tudents were invited to consider a historical account, a poem, or a work of multimedia art that serves as a personal lodestar for how to step into a freer tomorrow,鈥 explained Emily Kirkpatrick, Executive Director, 起点传媒. 鈥淚n today鈥檚 frantic world, reflection that connects the past with a vision of tomorrow can be transformative to both the student and the teacher.鈥听
One first-place winner and four runners-up were selected by judges across the United States. The first-place winner receives a prize of $1,000; the runners-up each receive a $500 prize.听
Student winners are:听
First Place听
Nina Zar, John L. Miller Great Neck North High School, Great Neck, NY听
Runners Up听
Abigail Giroux, The Bryn Mawr School, Baltimore, MD
Taigh Montes, Bayside High School, Bayside, NY
Aadya Rangole, Newport High School, Bellevue, WA
Katherine Yu Zhao, John L. Miller Great Neck North High School, Great Neck, NY听
Each of the winners will have the opportunity to have excerpts of their writing published by 起点传媒and continue the dialogue of their work.听听听听
鈥淒r. Ruth J. Simmons鈥 2023 Jefferson Lecture offers a timely invitation for inquiry, empathy, and imagination,鈥 said Stephen Kidd, Executive Director, National Humanities Alliance. 鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to open up opportunities for students to explore the humanities and begin a lifelong relationship with their power to connect us to our greater humanity.鈥澨听
The Teagle Foundation provided the financial underwriting for this program.听
About NCTE听
The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) is devoted to improving the teaching and learning of English and the language arts at all levels of education. Through collaboration and community, shared stories, and shared experiences, 起点传媒supports teachers and their students in classrooms, on college campuses, and in online learning environments. For more than 100 years, 起点传媒has worked with its members to offer journals, publications, and resources; to further the voice and expertise of educators as advocates for their students at the local, state, and federal levels; and to share lesson ideas, research, and teaching strategies through its Annual Convention and other professional learning events.听
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