The Newton County School System is pleased to announce the winners of the 2016 Young Georgia Authors’ Contest. Each school could submit one entry per grade level for grades third through 12 into the county competition in the form of short stories, poetry, essays, journals, personal narratives, reports, or other original student writing. Submissions were judged on four domains as reflected in the Georgia Performance Standards—ideas, organization, cohesiveness, and language.
Newton County’s winning essays will be forwarded to the Georgia Department of Education, where they will be grouped and judged according to the system’s Regional Educational Services Agency (RESA). Newton County School System’s authors will compete against students in the Griffin RESA group, which includes the following school systems: Butts, Fayette, Henry, Lamar, Pike, Spalding, and Thomaston-Upson. Representing Newton County School System are the following 2016 grade-level winners:

K: Middle Ridge Elementary, Braxton Allen, “If I Were President”
1: Mansfield Elementary, Sophie Brand, “My Best Day Ever”
2: Flint Hill Elementary, Sydney Stafford, “The Moon”
3: South Salem Elementary, Jasmin White, “The Book that Changed Their Fate”
4: Oak Hill Elementary, Emanuel James Hardley, “A Day in the Life of a Water Droplet”
5: Oak Hill Elementary, Carina Valdivia, “My Road to Freedom”
6: Cousins Middle, Eva Fuhrey, “Living History: Dr. Fredrick Douglas Reese”
7: Newton County Theme, Abigail Caceres, “Book Banishment”
8: Indian Creek Middle, Miranda Sarai Baker, “Destruction”
9: Eastside High, Sean Fulmer, “To the Line”
10: Eastside High, Molly Carter, “Just Fine”
11: Eastside High, Mary Grace Schlueter, “Deciding How I Feel”
12: Eastside High, Tyree Weston, “Desire”

“Congratulations to each of the winners in the Young Georgia Authors contest,” said NCSS Superintendent Samantha Fuhrey. “Writing skills are crucial as the ability to write well can be the ticket to better grades and greater academic achievement now and in the college setting. In addition, the ability to write well will be a key asset once students enter the workforce and begin their career progression. The ability to write is just that important. These students have that ability and I commend them for winning the Young Georgia Authors contest for their grade level. Our school district has some very talented writers and I wish them well in the next phase of competition.”
For more information on the Young Georgia Authors’ Contest, contact Ms. Sherri Davis-Viniard, Director of Public Relations for Newton County Schools at [email protected]