Eighth-grader Juliette M. ’27 was recognized in the 2023 NCTE Promising Young Writers Contest as the author of a Superior work of writing. This year, schools nominated 146 students to participate in the Promising Young Writers Program. Of those, 58 received the Superior designation, which is considered the silver award in the program.

The four categories are First Class, Superior, Excellent, and Merit. Papers were judged on content, purpose, audience, tone, word choice, organization, development, and style. NCTE describes participation in the program as a way teachers can elevate the importance of writing. Juliette’s writing was submitted by active NCTE members and RCDS MS English Department Chair Kate Marlow. Juliette’s non-fiction essay, “Shifting Between Two Worlds,” is a moving personal account of the complexities she has encountered navigating her bicultural identity and her resolve to find and honor her true, authentic self.

The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) is a leading, comprehensive literacy organization supporting more than 25,000  preK–college teachers in the United States. Through the expertise of its members, NCTE has served at the forefront of every major improvement in the teaching and learning of English and the language arts since 1911.