Glen Rock Student Takes First in Bergen County High School Writing Contest

The following was submitted to Patch by Bergen Community College.


Six Bergen County high school students claimed first-place honors in categories such as poetry and drama in the 38th annual Bergen County High School Writing Contest sponsored by the Bergen Community College English department.

The contest, directed by Bergen professor Peter Helff, featured six categories of submissions – scholarly essay, poetry, personal essay, recent American, short story and drama – judged by Bergen faculty.

The work of 27 finalists became part of the “Pegasus” literary journal published each year by the College. The first place winners were, from top left:

• Nina Das, of Tenafly, Tenafly High School: “Gatsby’s Kaleidoscope” (Drama);
• Isabella Grabski, of Glen Rock, Bergen County Academies: “The Art of Flotation” (Personal Essay);
• Diana Zhou, of Tenafly, Tenafly High School: “Happy New Year, Kung Hei Fat Choy: Confessions I Never Told My Mother” (Recent American);
• Joelle Castaldo, of Tenafly, Tenafly High School: “Crash” (Short Story);
• George Georges, of Clifton, Dwight-Englewood School: “Rupert’s Love’s Labor’s Never Succeeded” (Scholarly Essay);
• David Lysenko, of Fair Lawn, Dwight-Englewood School: “Fire and Ice” (Poetry).

For their efforts, students received copies of the publication and bookstore gift cards.