Birchwood Students Win Regional Power of the Pen
This year’s north regional Power of the Pen tournament was held virtually and concluded with a live-streamed award announcement on Thursday, May 28th. The creative writing of Birchwood’s students earned the 7th grade team 2nd place and the 8th grade team 3rd place. Additionally, Sinan Haufe (7th) won 11th place individually. About 200 students qualified for this tournament from about 40 schools.
7th grade team: Sebastian Boyer, Cadence Guo, Sinan Haufe, Chloe Leng, and Dilan Nadkarni
8th grade team: Sofia Boyd, Abigail Gemechu, Samyuktha Iyer, James Mamone (Parma), and Dyani Nautiyal
Power of the Pen competitions are usually an intense experience of three rounds of timed creative writing based on unique prompts. But the virtual version allowed students to write from the familiar settings of their homes. While much of the attention is focused on the annual competitions, the organization also has a broader mission of helping young people find and develop a creative voice that is uniquely their own. Their goal is to inspire teachers and challenge students to embrace the art of creative expression through writing as a life skill. While about 7,500 students participate in their tournaments each year, Power of the Pen provides in-class instructional materials for over 120,000 students in Ohio.
