Basking Ridge Student Recognized By Library of Congress

FAR HILLS, NJ — Two Far Hills Country Day School fifth-graders, including one from Basking Ridge, were recognized by the Library of Congress in its writing contest.

Hannah Castiglione of Chester won first place in the 2019 Letters About Literature State Competition (Level 1, Grades 4–6). Nate Lawton of Basking Ridge was also acknowledged with distinguished honors for his contest entry by the state judges.

The reading and writing contest is for students in Grades 4–12 who are asked to read a piece of work and write to the author (living or dead) about how it affected them personally.

Lawton wrote his letter to Norton Juster, author of the fantasy adventure story, "The Phantom Tollbooth."

Castiglione wrote a letter to author Liz Kessler who penned the Emily Windsnap series of books about an ordinary girl who finds out that she becomes a mermaid when she goes in water.

Letters are judged on both state and national levels in three different age groups. Tens of thousands of students from across the country — more than 6,000 of whom are from New Jersey— enter Letters About Literature each year.

This is the first year that Far Hills has participated in the contest. Grade five English teacher Natalie Young found the contest and entered along with fellow Grade five teacher, Gemma Keremedjiev.

The students, their parents and teachers will attend an awards ceremony and reception at Rutgers College Avenue Student Center at 2 p.m. on May 15 hosted by the New Jersey Center for the Book (NJCB). Certificates from Governor Phil Murphy will be presented to the student authors and to their teachers for encouraging the young writers to enter the contest.

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