Two RHS Juniors Win 2023 NCTE Achievement Award in Writing

Juniors Defne Doken and Finn Ryan have been selected for a 2023 Achievement Award in Writing, given by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Defne’s essay, “What’s in an Education?” and Finn’s, “Education First … Now What?” were among only 114 essays selected to receive the First Class designation from a pool of 360 nominated essays. Defne and Finn are Radnor High School’s first winners since 2020, and this is the first time ever that RHS has had two winners in the same year. Many of the nation’s top schools nominated their best writers to this prestigious national recognition.

One hundred thirty one students received the Superior designation, 71 received the Excellent designation, and 31 received the Merit designation. Each student submitted two pieces of writing. Two to three independent judges scored each submission on expression of ideas, language use, and unique perspective and voice.

The NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing is a school-based writing program established in 1957 to encourage high school students to write and to recognize some of the best student writers in the nation. Only students who are juniors may participate. Schools in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, US territories, Canada, and American schools abroad are eligible to nominate students for the writing program.