Smithtown East Writers Capture Awards

Three students from Smithtown High School East were award recipients in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, with one student receiving national recognition.

More than 300,000 pieces were submitted to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and the top 40 percent received Gold Key, Silver Key or Honorable Mention recognition. Gold Key-winning entries are reviewed by creative professionals, and can qualify to win a national award.

Sophomore Meghan Hayfield won a Gold Key and received a National Medal for her short story “Heavy.” The story shows the struggles of a family running away from an abusive father.

Freshman Rebecca Hall won a Silver Key for the Science Fiction/Fantasy category. Her short story “Tell Tale Cell” is a modern retelling of Edgar Allen Poe’s classic story “The Tell Tale Heart.”

Junior Natalie Swiacki won a Gold Key for her poem “Finding Me” and a Silver Key for her poem “The Story of Social Strife.”

Photo courtesy of the Smithtown Central School District. Pictured here are: High School East English teachers Alyssa Santangelo and Emily Kiernan, award winners Rebecca Hall, Meghan Hayfield and Natalie Swiacki, High School East English teachers Cristina Westhoff and Michelle Gallucci and High School East Principal Ed Thompson.