Student Writers Earn Awards at WordSmith Olympics Competition

Our 7^th-12^th grade students made us proud at the WordSmith Writing Olympics competition on Saturday, February 16. Hosted by the University of Memphis English Department, the WordSmith competition brings together 200 middle and high school students from 30 area schools.

SAA-SDS students and educators worked together in preparation for the annual writing challenge which tests students’ writing and creative thinking skills with a series of quick writing exercises known as “dashes”. U of M English Department faculty and local English teachers judge the written entries.

The following Upper School students placed at the competition:

Julie Coker (9^th): First Place, 40-word dash and Honorable Mention, 120-word dash

Sophie Kerr (10^th): Honorable Mention, 120-word dash 

Virginia Maness (10^th): Honorable Mention, 80-word dash

The following Junior High students placed at the competition:

Kaleb Cottrell (8^th): Honorable Mention, 120-word dash 

Harris Lucchesi (7^th): Third Place, 120-word dash; Honorable Mention, 40-word dash

Penny Natera (8^th): Third Place, 120-word dash; Honorable Mention, 80-word dash

Eleanor Weems (7^th): Second Place, 120-word dash; Third Place, 80-word dash

 “I am very proud of these students,” said Junior High English teacher Pam Walthal. “The 7^th and 8^th graders devoted their activity time and lunch time to practice writing with me and to practice word dash events with Mrs. Clement. We truly have some talented and dedicated students” she said.

“I'm so proud of this year’s Upper School Wordsmith competitors,” added Cathleen Zeanah, Upper School English teacher. “It was exciting to see past winners win again, but it was really thrilling to see newbie Wordsmith writers win for the first time. As I told our new winners: ‘You are now award-winning writers!’”