Librarians are usually there to keep the books in nice order and to foster reading but, Rosline Hernandez, Franklin High School’s librarian is also committed to fostering student creativity and a passion for writing. She launched a writing contest in March, which she said is intended to give students from grades 6 through 12 a platform to “share their creativity, express themselves, and showcase their work with the entire school” said Hernandez.
The month-long contest kicked off on March 6, and students across various grade levels poured their hearts into crafting original pieces. Recognizing the diverse strengths at each level, Hernandez divided submissions into three divisions: 6th-8th grade, 9th-10th grade, and 11th-12th grade. Each division will see three winners emerge victorious.
Hernandez enlisted a secret panel of six teachers and staff members to ensure fair and unbiased judging. This anonymous judging process will prioritize creativity using a pre-defined rubric.
Students could choose from popular themes like good versus evil, coming-of-age, rebellion, inspiration, and friendship. Any genre and writing form, from short stories to plays, were welcome as long as the content was appropriate for all ages. Prizes await the winners, including gift cards, iPads, AirPods, etc..
With approximately 26-27 entries received, With the author’s permission the winning pieces will be displayed on “The Buzz,” FHS’s newspaper.
Hernandez remarked, “I’m incredibly proud of every student who submitted their work. They invested their time and showed initiative.”
Stay tuned, Franklin! Winners will be announced by Wednesday, April 24th.