Irvington Senior Pens Award-Winner In County Writing Contest

IRVINGTON, NJ — A senior in Irvington has penned an award-winner for an annual county writing competition.

Essex County officials recently announced a list of top entries for the 2022 Essex County Senior Citizen Legacies Writing Contest. They included an author from Irvington: Ruth C. Steele.

According to a county news release:

"Irvington resident Ruth C. Steele wrote 'Not College Material,' which was selected as one of the winning stories. While attending eighth grade at Madison School, Ms. Steele’s teacher remarked that she was 'not college material' and should consider taking business classes instead of college prep classes. This greatly affected her because she respected her teacher and his opinion. With her high school years coinciding with the Civil Rights Movement, Ms. Steele realized her eighth-grade teacher’s assessment was wrong, that she was affected by systemic racism and began to strive for more. Instead of just wanting to attain a high school diploma, she set her sights on going to college. 'I am extremely grateful for those who inspired me to be persistent, to know my worth,' she wrote about the teachers she had in high school who were more supportive."

The Legacies Writing Contest encourages Essex senior citizens to write essays about the people and events that have influenced their lives. Overall, the county named four winners of the contest and four honorable mention recipients.

Selected as winners of the 2022 Senior Citizen Legacies Writing Contest were Newark resident Maryam Bey who wrote “Experience is the Best Teacher,” Livingston resident Susan Levine who wrote “Finding My Way through the Woods,” Bloomfield resident Joseph L. Mazoine who wrote “Lunch with Mrs. Roberts” and Irvington resident Ruth C. Steele who wrote “Not College Material.”

Receiving honorable mentions were Maplewood resident Marie Walton-Jackson who wrote “Reflections,” East Orange resident Carol T. Jenkins who wrote “My Little Blue Bank Book,” Nutley resident Rosemary Valese who wrote “Cabbage Patch Doll Blessings” and Bloomfield resident Dr. Paula R. Zaccone who wrote “The Medical Menace.”

“Our Senior Citizen Legacies Writing Contest is a unique way for our older population to share their life’s stories and describe the people and events that helped to shape their lives,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said.

“Our seniors’ stories make you laugh and they touch your heart,” he added. “They provide us with a different perspective on historical events and what our society was like.”

According to county officials:

“Sponsored by the Essex County Division of Senior Services, the Legacies Writing Contest was started in 1996 and was part of a national contest which encouraged senior citizens to discover the joys of writing while sharing their stories with others. Although the national contest was discontinued in 1998, the Essex County Division of Senior Services continued to sponsor the Legacies Writing Contest on a local level. Entries are judged on the writer’s ability to engage the reader with humor, emotional impact or rich descriptions. Winning stories were selected by a committee of volunteer judges and staff from the Essex County Division of Senior Services.”

The Essex County Division of Senior Services offers a range of services to eligible older adults, including adult protective services, provides basic transportation services, administers adult day care centers, offers counseling services for caregivers, provides home delivered meals and offers visiting nurse services. For more information, call 973-395-8375.

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