ROCHAMBEAU MIDDLE SCHOOL 6^TH GRADER NAMED NORTHEAST REGION WINNER OF BIC CORP. ESSAY CONTEST

   Rochambeau Middle School (RMS) sixth-grader, Hannah H., was named the Northeast Region winner for the 2008 BIC Corporation “Quality Comes in Writing” Essay Contest. Nationwide, over 11,000 students, grades four through six, submitted entries. Hannah’s essay was entitled, “Words for the World.”

   For the writing contest, students could choose one of three writing prompts and the essays were judged on originality, content, and grammar.

   Upon selecting the prompt, “The Greatest Gift I Could Give and Why”, Hannah jotted down some ideas at home.

   “I used one of my many notebooks to brainstorm,” said Hannah. “My biggest obstacle was that I wrote too much and had to edit it down to the required number of words. My essay now has exactly 200 words!”

   Hannah’s essay was about her gift of writing and part of her essay tells how her writing may help others.

   “My writing might motivate someone to action, evoke a memory, or help a dream take flight. The magic of words can do many things and writing allows me to touch people in a personal way. My hope is that my writing—my gift—will, in some small way, nudge the world.”

   The BIC-sponsored contest is not the first writing contest for Hannah. But it is her first win.

   “When I was in fourth grade at Pomperaug Elementary School, I wrote an immigration essay for a contest, but I didn’t win,” she said.

   Mrs. Gilda Meier, language arts teacher at RMS, always likes to encourage her students to enter essay contests. In fact, 15 students from her class voluntarily submitted essays to the BIC contest.

   The BIC Corporation sent a letter to Mrs. Meier at school. In part, the letter said that Hannah’s essay was creative and thoughtful.

   “When I read of Hannah’s win, I quietly took her out of class to share the news with her,” said Mrs. Meier. “Soon, many sixth grade classrooms emptied to surround us. All of the students were very excited for her.”