Newton County School System (NCSS) is pleased to announce the grade-level winners of the 2024 District Young Georgia Authors Competition. Unlike many writing competitions, Young Georgia Authors does not provide a prompt to which students must respond or provide any other boundaries to their genre choice or creativity beyond a 1900-word maximum length. Entries may include short stories, poetry, essays, journalism, academic research reports, personal narratives, and any other original student writing. Judges looked for expression of ideas, language use, and unique perspective and voice. All district winners will now have their written work forwarded for consideration in the regional Young Georgia Authors Competition.

NCSS Chief Academic Officer Dr. Benjamin Roundtree expressed his congratulations to the winners and underscored the significance of strong writing skills.

“Congratulations to each of the winners in the Young Georgia Authors contest,” Roundtree said. “Proficient writing is a critical skill that serves as a gateway to improved grades and heightened academic success. Moreover, as students venture into the workforce and navigate their career paths, the ability to write effectively becomes a key asset. I commend these students for their outstanding achievements. Our school district is undoubtedly home to some incredibly talented writers, and I extend my best wishes to them as they embark on the next phase of the competition.”