Hinsdale Central Students Named Semifinalists in Writing Competition

Submitted by Hinsdale Township High School District 86.

Hinsdale Township High School District 86 today proudly announced that four Hinsdale Central High School students were selected as Norman Mailer Writing Award Semifinalists for the High School Creative Non-Fiction Writing Award Competition.

A total of 19 students were nominated from all over the country.

Julian Kanagy, Emily Morse, Dania Noghnogh and Caitlin Wong, all from the Class of 2014, were selected.

“This is a remarkable achievement, demonstrating the strength and skill of our students and the caring, expert guidance of English teachers,” said English Department Chair David Lange. “While one other school had two semifinalists, no other school in the country matched Hinsdale Central’s four.”

Lange continued, “All of these students were enrolled in the Honors Seminar in Writing Course. Emily’s teacher was Angelique Burrell. Julian, Dania and Caitlin were all students of Jared Friebel. Of course, these students were coached and supported by all of their English teachers in their four years at Central.”

Hinsdale Central has been well represented in the competition in recent years. Two finalists were named in 2011 and one finalist and two semifinalists were recognized in 2013.

High school students currently enrolled in any U.S. accredited high school may submit one or more pieces of writing with a maximum length of 10 single-spaced pages and be endorsed by a teacher and released by a parent or guardian. According to the competition’s website, submissions are read by national panels of teachers and writers. Submissions are judged by how well they achieve several qualities, including the artful treatment of subject matter; originality; quality of insight, image, voice, and style; artful arrangement of elements and materials; and overall aesthetic, emotional or intellectual effect.