South High students are on the write track

Walking downstairs to a private room at Garden City Library, a group of parents and students were aglow with excitement. Entering that room, you could hear the chatter and see the smiles. There seemed to be a pride in some eyes, and that was before the night’s program got underway.

Dozens gathered to celebrate and hear the essays of student contest winners from several schools during an awards ceremony by the Irish Cultural Society on May 3. Thirteen students from Valley Stream South High School were honored, including five students who won first through third place in the English and Spanish categories.

“I was really surprised,” said Melissa Ochoa, a South sophomore who won first prize in the English category. “I didn’t expect to win it, up against a lot of people who write very well.”

Ochoa wrote about Brazil, which was a country that she has always been interested in, she said. This year’s essays explored the relationship between Ireland and Spanish-speaking countries.

Out of 309 students who submitted essays for the annual contest, the bulk of the winners were from South. Their teacher, Deirdre Gordon, was very proud. “They chose topics that were unique,” she said.

The students started in February, researching, organizing and eventually writing. Following a period of peer revision, Gordon offered her feedback before the students drafted final copies, she said. “You have to have a voice in writing,” she said. “I think they are great kids, and they found something different and interesting to write about.”

Second-place English winner Michael Yang got nods for writing about the origins of St. Patrick’s Day. “All celebrate it and now we know why we do,” said Yang, also a South sophomore. The honor was unexpected, but he is grateful to the Irish Cultural Society for it, he added.

Third place honors in English went to South sophomores Andrew Hess and Lyra Joy Libot, who were very happy. Libot called it a “prestigious” honor, and Hess said it was an “experience” writing about Roger Caceres’ triumphant efforts rescuing workers in Peru. “It was very interesting because he did what muckrakers did,” he said, with his mom looking on with pride.

And Jeanne Powell won second place honors in the Spanish category. “I am very happy about it,” said the South sophomore. “I am Irish, and I see how the Irish had an effect on the Spanish.”

Other South students won honorable mentions including Ashley Redding, Brando Mirth, Brianna Fortiz, Timothy Dolan, Aimee Kaplan, Pardeep Cattry, Haroon Dar, and Powell.

Judges of the English papers, Hofstra University Professor Maureen Murphy and Spanish papers, Jorge and Ninoska Sanz, had a “daunting” task in selecting winners, said the contest chair John Walsh. The top papers will be posted on the website, www.irish-society.org, by the end of the month.