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FCPS Students Receive 2023 Regional Scholastic Writing Awards

  • By Communication and Community Relations
  • FCPS News
  • February 21, 2023

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Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) student writers won 35 Gold Key awards in the 2023 Regional Scholastic Writing Awards competition. In all, 213 Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mentions were earned by FCPS students.

Riva Jain, a student at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST), was named an American Voices Nominee for her dramatic script, “The Interview,” and Aileen Zhao, a student at McLean High School, was named an American Voices Nominee for her poetry, “Catalog of Ants.”

Winners in the regional competition came from 27 Fairfax County middle and high schools. A complete list of FCPS winners can be found below.

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, presented by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, is the largest, longest-running recognition program of its kind in the United States. Writing categories include critical essay, dramatic script, flash fiction, humor, journalism, novel writing, personal essay and memoir, poetry, science fiction and fantasy, short story, and writing portfolio. More information about the Scholastic Writing Awards is available online.  

NAME TITLE CATEGORY AWARD(S) SCHOOL
Scarlett Adams No Longer Afraid Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention Langley High School
Aleena Ahmed South Asia Poetry Gold Key McLean High School
Nourelhoda Alashlem The Free People Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention Justice High School
Kesha Antsilevich Traditional Medicine and the Crossroads between Culture, Science, and Choice Critical Essay Honorable Mention Madison High School
Maya Berdia Hopeful Poetry Honorable Mention McLean High School
Maya Berdia What Poetry Is Poetry Honorable Mention McLean High School
Reyna Berry Archaeology Poetry Silver Key Marshall High School
Reyna Berry The Lioness Builds a Sand Castle Dramatic Script Honorable Mention Marshall High School
Jenna Cai To Catch What I Missed Poetry Silver Key Langley High School
Cameron Cates June All Year Novel Writing Gold Key South Lakes High School 
Aaron Chen There Is No ¦¦¦¦¦¦ Short Story Silver Key Oakton High School
Rose Chen

The Similarities between Chinese and American Education Systems’ Synchronism
in Shaping an Individual’s Political Standards

Critical Essay Gold Key McLean High School
Jenny Choi My Grandma's Scent... Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention Oakton High School
William Choi The Cursed House Short Story Honorable Mention Fairfax High School
Yoonsub Choi Jireh Short Story Honorable Mention Thoreau Middle School
Anwesha Chowdhury Sleepless Trilogy Poetry Honorable Mention Lake Braddock Secondary School
Connor Chun War of the Lost Generation; Novel of All Generation Journalism Honorable Mention Langley High School
Natalia Colder The Fine Print for Higher Education and Softball Scholarships Flash Fiction Silver Key McLean High School
Noelle Cosgriff It's So Quiet Flash Fiction Honorable Mention Robinson Secondary School
Jackson Dabich For Sale Short Story Honorable Mention Marshall High School
Jackson Dabich On Mac & Cheese Personal Essay & Memoir Silver Key Marshall High School 
Jackson Dabich Redd Short Story Silver Key Marshall High School
Jackson Dabich The Slam Poetry Club at My School Poetry Honorable Mention Marshall High School
Jackson Dabich When I say I love you Poetry Honorable Mention Marshall High School 
Aeryn Dahm In My Head Science Fiction & Fantasy Honorable Mention South County High School
Haley Dao Hush, Little Wonder Poetry Gold Key Lake Braddock Secondary School
Haley Dao You, Me, & the Sea Flash Fiction Honorable Mention Lake Braddock Secondary School
Elena Davis Convincing People Climate Change is Not Real: A How-to Guide Humor Silver Key Centreville High School
Elena Davis Foreigner: How My Hidden Korean Heritage Affected My Identity Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention Centreville High School
Elena Davis The Three-Day Weekend: Assessing the Impacts of a Four-Day School Week Critical Essay Honorable Mention Centreville High School
Marley Derienzo Thermal Equilibrium Novel Writing Silver Key McLean High School
Hyewon Do Two Puppets Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention McLean High School
Makayla Donnelly A Glass Wound Flash Fiction Honorable Mention Rocky Run Middle School
Miriam Fabrycky Seconded Nature Short Story Silver Key Woodson High School
Michaela Frey An Analysis of my Human Sentiments Poetry Honorable Mention Langley High School
Raina Gao A Day Too Late Short Story Silver Key Rachel Carson Middle School
Sebastian Ghersi Ditch the Tools, Burn the House Down Critical Essay Honorable Mention Langley High School
Sebastian Ghersi It Hides In My Throat Poetry Honorable Mention Langley High School
Sebastian Ghersi The Poems I Never Showed You Poetry Honorable Mention Langley High School
Sebastian Ghersi Veronica Personal Essay & Memoir Silver Key Langley High School
Tracy Gong An Ode to the Forgotten Poetry Silver Key Langley High School
Tracy Gong Forest God Poetry Honorable Mention Langley High School
Tracy Gong The only one left Science Fiction & Fantasy Honorable Mention Langley High School
Tracy Gong The Sweatshirt Flash Fiction Honorable Mention Langley High School
Gavin Grant The Human Heart Flash Fiction Honorable Mention McLean High School
Samantha Grayer Greenwashing: An Environmentally Unfriendly Solution Critical Essay Silver Key Langley High School
Elizabeth Greene Bedtime Stories Personal Essay & Memoir Silver Key Marshall High School, 
Stephanie Groves Eyes and Ears Poetry Honorable Mention Lake Braddock Secondary School
Stephanie Groves Gyopo Dramatic Script Silver Key Lake Braddock Secondary School
Levana Gu I Will Raise Myself Personal Essay & Memoir Silver Key McLean High School
Minsong Ha Monkeypox: History Repeats Itself Critical Essay Honorable Mention McLean High School
Jonathan Han The Infinite Dilemma Science Fiction & Fantasy Honorable Mention Chantilly High School
Taebeen Han Choose Short Story Silver Key Centreville High School
Taebeen Han Our Meeting Short Story Silver Key Centreville High School
Alyson Hoffman A Crown Made of Twigs Poetry Honorable Mention Oakton High School
Anisha Iqbal Voice Writing Portfolio Honorable Mention West Springfield High School
Sohan Jama Of Watercolors Poetry Silver Key Robinson Secondary School
Chloe Jeong An Awry Visit Flash Fiction Silver Key Longfellow Middle School
Danna Jia The Harms of Social Media Critical Essay Honorable Mention Langley High School
Safinabonu Juraeva What we do not see Novel Writing Honorable Mention Justice High School
Arin Kim Flight to a New Chapter Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention Cooper Middle School
Hera Kim For Kim Yang-ju Poetry Gold Key Robinson Secondary School
Irene Kim Trying to Sleep Poetry Honorable Mention Centreville High School
Sigrid Kim Burned Bone Poetry Honorable Mention McLean High School
Sigrid Kim Glass Poetry Silver Key McLean High School
Sigrid Kim The Cowboy Poetry Gold Key McLean High School
Youngjae Kim The Pearl Harbor of the 21st Century Critical Essay Gold Key McLean High School
Ahroh Ko The Raven on His Head Short Story Honorable Mention McLean High School
Srivaishnavi Kommireddy The Dinosaur Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention Woodson High School
Taylor Konditi Wars, I Remember Poetry Gold Key McLean High School
Chloe Lee Where Did Home Go Poetry Gold Key Oakton High School
Jayden Lee A Time for Departure Flash Fiction Honorable Mention Langley High School
Jayden Lee Commencement Poetry Honorable Mention Langley High School
Jayden Lee Looks Like Love Personal Essay & Memoir Silver Key Langley High School
Jiwoo Lee The Importance of School Education About Autism Spectrum Disorder Critical Essay Silver Key Longfellow Middle School 
Kiwon Lee I'm Not 4 Letters and a Number: Why Personality Tests Are Inaccurate Critical Essay Silver Key Luther Jackson Middle School
Michael Lee The Strange Encounters Short Story Honorable Mention Woodson High School
Naomi Lee In Control Dramatic Script Silver Key Cooper Middle School
Naomi Lee Maturity with Siblings Personal Essay & Memoir Silver Key Cooper Middle School
Stella Lee Freezing Time in Shangri-la Science Fiction & Fantasy Gold Key McLean High School
Elsa Li Numberless Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention Oakton High School
Cassie Liu Family for a Fire Poetry Honorable Mention Woodson High School
Rosabel Liu Blood Red and the Seven Dwarf Comrades Humor Gold Key Chantilly High School
Natalie Lopresti The Patient Process of Becoming Whole Science Fiction & Fantasy Honorable Mention Oakton High School
Charlie Meidlinger A Lonely Sunday Morning Short Story Honorable Mention South Lakes High School
Nour Mokbel I Have Seen Poetry Honorable Mention West Springfield High School
Nour Mokbel Remembrance of Ramadan Flash Fiction Honorable Mention West Springfield High School
Bryce Myers Altera Vita Novel Writing Gold Key Langley High School
Arai Nazarova Olympiads for Girls? Critical Essay Gold Key McLean High School
Milan Nguyen Her Sister Short Story Honorable Mention Langley High School
Zoey Pagotto Farewell Poetry Honorable Mention McLean High School
Ellen Pan Beyond Shattered Glass Writing Portfolio Silver Key McLean High School
Ellen Pan Dear Dad Personal Essay & Memoir Gold Key McLean High School
Christina Park Dogter Evil Humor Honorable Mention Rachel Carson Middle School
Eunice Park Umma's Girl Short Story Silver Key Lake Braddock Secondary School
Emily Reisman It's JD Dramatic Script Honorable Mention McLean High School
Anniyah Rizvi Dear Santa Claus Poetry Honorable Mention Langley High School
Anniyah Rizvi For Amma. Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention Langley High School
Jiwon Ryu Fahrenheit 451 Essay: People just need light to start glowing on their own Critical Essay Honorable Mention McLean High School
Sandi Schneider A Poet Poetry Silver Key McLean High School
Renee Shi Aerodynamic Science Fiction & Fantasy Honorable Mention Cooper Middle School
Renee Shi Bitter Bliss Poetry Gold Key Cooper Middle School
Renee Shi Filter Poetry Silver Key Cooper Middle School
Renee Shi Metamorphosis Short Story Honorable Mention Cooper Middle School
Renee Shi Naturally Gifted Personal Essay & Memoir Silver Key Cooper Middle School
Renee Shi The Blackburn Sisters Science Fiction & Fantasy Honorable Mention Cooper Middle School
Rachel Smith An Unwanted Moniker Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention South Lakes High School
Sara Smith Aquaphor Short Story Gold Key McLean High School
Eshaan Sombhatta Tuvalu Traveler Chronicles Novel Writing Silver Key Cooper Middle School
Abigail Sterner The Sorrow of the Lady of Shallot Short Story Silver Key McLean High School
Madeline Sullo The Trinity of A Requiem Poetry Gold Key Oakton High School 
Vachel Thevenot Deus Ex Machina Science Fiction & Fantasy Honorable Mention Mclean High School 
Vachel Thevenot The Shades Novel Writing Silver Key Mclean High School 
Ayush Tripathy The Decade Long Corruption that has Eneveloped the Core of FIFA Journalism Honorable Mention South Lakes High School
Jiayi Wang The Cultural Revolution Poetry Honorable Mention Langley High School
Laura Wang It's just a word Poetry Honorable Mention McLean High School
Michelle Wang Mama's Ramen Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention Lake Braddock Secondary School
Venita Wang Two Hometowns Personal Essay & Memoir Gold Key Longfellow Middle School
Sydney Wong Proverbs and Memes: A Comparison Critical Essay Silver Key Hayfield Secondary School
Angela Yan Cultivated Meat: Sustainable Solution or Lab-Grown Letdown? Critical Essay Honorable Mention Longfellow Middle School
Alicia Yau The Missing Words Short Story Gold Key McLean High School
Jason Yoo A Mother's Love Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention Chantilly High School
Aileen Zhao Catalog of Ants Poetry Gold Key • American Voices Nominee McLean High School
Aileen Zhao cosmogenous sediment; deluge myth; Prairie Park Poetry Gold Key McLean High School 
Aileen Zhao dark match Poetry Honorable Mention McLean High School
Aileen Zhao Final Remarks Flash Fiction Gold Key McLean High School 
Aileen Zhao good art Poetry Honorable Mention McLean High School, 
Aileen Zhao Life at the End Poetry Silver Key McLean High School
Aileen Zhao My Chemical Romance is Defying Death Critical Essay Gold Key McLean High School
Aileen Zhao Perseus and Medusa Science Fiction & Fantasy Honorable Mention McLean High School
Aileen Zhao Rightful Owners: The Matter of Cultural Heritage Repatriation Critical Essay Honorable Mention McLean High School
Aileen Zhao Saints for Daughters; Ismene Poetry Gold Key McLean High School
Aileen Zhao Second Genesis Poetry Gold Key McLean High School
Aileen Zhao the deepest summer night Poetry Gold Key McLean High School
Aileen Zhao The Nature Theory Poetry Silver Key McLean High School
Aileen Zhao ulysses Flash Fiction Gold Key McLean High School
Jiayin Zou sonder and introspection Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention McLean High School
Neha Asuri interior decorating Poetry Honorable Mention Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST)
Isabella Cai Toe-Mouthing and Hamster-Wheeling Academy for the Extremely and Amazingly Gifted Humor Silver Key TJHSST
Katelyn Chen “Mommm! I Hate Broccoli!” Dietary Preferences and the Development of Taste Journalism Honorable Mention TJHSST
Katelyn Chen Chinese, Not Asian Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention TJHSST
Grace Choi Dear butterfly, pausing for a moment to rest on my finger Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Ashley Chon The Scent Of My Grave Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Thanisha Chowdhury Confessional Short Story Gold Key TJHSST
Thanisha Chowdhury Flying Lessons Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Thanisha Chowdhury Mythomaniac Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention TJHSST
Thanisha Chowdhury original sin Poetry Silver Key TJHSST
Thanisha Chowdhury plea to a mirror Flash Fiction Silver Key TJHSST
Thanisha Chowdhury the geography of a blank page Flash Fiction Honorable Mention TJHSST
Claire Guo Her Companion Short Story Honorable Mention TJHSST
Claire Guo Should Marijuana Be Legalized In The United States Critical Essay Honorable Mention TJHSST
Yashna Hasija Remove Hostile Architecture from our City Critical Essay Honorable Mention TJHSST
Jiwoo Hwang Layla: Woman of the Night Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention TJHSST
Riva Jain hello world Poetry Silver Key TJHSST
Riva Jain my words as medicine Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Riva Jain paper planes Flash Fiction Silver Key TJHSST
Riva Jain proelium (i go to battle on the heels of none that came before me) Poetry Silver Key TJHSST
Riva Jain reclaim (ecological succession) Poetry Gold Key TJHSST
Riva Jain the ghost of christmas past Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Riva Jain The Interview Dramatic Script Gold Key • American Voices Nominee TJHSST
Inaayah Khan brown girl’s ghazal Poetry Silver Key TJHSST
Inaayah Khan Rose Syrup at Midnight Writing Portfolio Silver Key TJHSST
Ryan Kim A Fisherman’s Tale Personal Essay & Memoir Silver Key TJHSST
Moubon Kurukumbi The Fall Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention TJHSST
Elle Lee A Trans Girl Hymn Poetry Silver Key TJHSST
Elle Lee An Unfailing Faith Personal Essay & Memoir Silver Key TJHSST
Elle Lee trans girl hymn Writing Portfolio Honorable Mention TJHSST
Joonwon Lee Perfection Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Joonwon Lee The Hidden Truth Under the Layered Toxicity of Ironbound Critical Essay Honorable Mention TJHSST
Sophia Lin Pink, ish. Maybe a bit of tangerine Flash Fiction Honorable Mention TJHSST
Hannah Liu In Flaming Forests Poetry Silver Key TJHSST
Kaitlyn Lu Neverworld Science Fiction & Fantasy Silver Key TJHSST
Ruthika Mamidi Revelations of a Lost Warmth Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Aubree Masud The Monster Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Lyat Melese Crossing Cultures Writing Portfolio Honorable Mention TJHSST
Lyat Melese Flavorless Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Lyat Melese Limited Agency Personal Essay & Memoir Gold Key TJHSST
Lyat Melese One-sided Legacy Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Lyat Melese Waiting Flash Fiction Gold Key TJHSST
Cierra Min Brevity Flash Fiction Silver Key TJHSST
Cierra Min favorite child Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Cierra Min How many moons does it take to change a lightbulb? Poetry Silver Key TJHSST
Cierra Min placebo Poetry Silver Key TJHSST
Amy Nam something my math teacher didn't teach me Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Mulan Pan a white flag for the black hole Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Mulan Pan Chorus for the Cicada (Jenkins et al., 2020) Poetry Silver Key TJHSST
Mulan Pan i run the cross-country cables behind my teeth Poetry Gold Key TJHSST
Mulan Pan Kicau-mania: Poetry Silver Key TJHSST
Mulan Pan Love Story Between a Pigeon and a Bronze Statue Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Mulan Pan Odd Refractions of Reverence Writing Portfolio Silver Key TJHSST
Mulan Pan The Artist’s Advice for the Aspiring Ornithologist Personal Essay & Memoir Silver Key TJHSST
Mulan Pan When I die, I would like to be honored as if I were a blue whale, Poetry Gold Key TJHSST
Phoebe Pan A Hidden Treasure: The Power of Introverts Critical Essay Honorable Mention TJHSST
Sean Pham Stormy Dreams Poetry Silver Key TJHSST
Angelina Richter Cats on the Roof Dramatic Script Honorable Mention TJHSST
Angelina Richter Cats on the Roof Novel Writing Silver Key TJHSST
Estan Rodriguez Cardinal Against Gray Sky Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Estan Rodriguez Fossils After All Writing Portfolio Honorable Mention TJHSST
Estan Rodriguez Luster: Evidence for the Soul Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Estan Rodriguez Ultrasonic Warnings Poetry Silver Key TJHSST
Nandini Shyamala Something in the Braids Personal Essay & Memoir Silver Key TJHSST
Xinuo Song The superposition of dreams Science Fiction & Fantasy Honorable Mention TJHSST
Lynn Tao Mulberry Memories Personal Essay & Memoir Silver Key TJHSST
Lynn Tao Seeing the World Writing Portfolio Honorable Mention TJHSST
Sophia Tzvetanov My Body, the Earth Poetry Silver Key TJHSST
Jessica Wang ars poetica Poetry Silver Key TJHSST
Jessica Wang resonant Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Jessica Wang Train Ride Flash Fiction Silver Key TJHSST
Harry Xiao Front Yard Turmoil Personal Essay & Memoir Honorable Mention TJHSST
Vivian Xue De Deis Filiisque Poetry Gold Key TJHSST
Vivian Xue Ode to the Nereids and the Fall of Troy Poetry Honorable Mention TJHSST
Laura Zhang tainted love Personal Essay & Memoir Silver Key TJHSST
Megan Zhang Just Like Your Mother Flash Fiction Honorable Mention TJHSST