kneuss

  • March 9, 2014
  • 552
                        
The chatter among the judges and tournament organizers was that they had never heard of such a thing happening. Sure, some contestants at the Power of the Pen Tournament do well, maybe even win a final round. But to do what this seventh grader had done – at the regional finals – well, that was special. Welty Middle School writer Abigail Kneuss did better than great. Not only did she best a whole lot of outstanding writers in her peer group, she also won each one of three final rounds, writing on a different prompt for each. Kneuss earned straight “1s” in the three preliminary rounds at the tournament, held Saturday at Norwayne Middle/ High School in Wayne County. She then went on to the finals, writing on prompts as varied as “a memory a childhood” and “write about something no longer important in your life.” She was credited for her wide range of writing styles, her descriptive ability and emotional impact by finals judges Lynn and Chris Meister, who said they had no idea the same student was coming up tops in each round they judged, until they saw her contestant number repeated at the conclusion of the judging. For her efforts, Abigail got a seldom-seem standing ovation from not only her peers, but from coaches and judges as well. She is coached by Becky Pallotto. In overall school results, the traveling sweepstakes trophy went to Highland Middle School in Medina County, followed by Hiland Middle School in Holmes County, Claymont Middle School, Lexington Junior High in Richland County and Dover Middle School. Claymont Middle School took fourth place among seventh-grade classes and also among eighth-grade classes. Class level competitions were won by A.I. Root Middle School in Medina County (seventh) and Sts. Peter and Paul School in Wayne County (eighth). Local individual placements were earned by the following eighth graders: Lynlea Caley, Clayment Middle School, second; Olivia Martin, Strasburg Middle School, seventh; Sydney Mowrer, Dover Middle School, eighth; Hannah Schaffer, Claymont Middle School, 11th; and Anna Nguyen, Tuscarawas Central Catholic, 12th. The top 20 percent of finishers in Saturday’s regional tournament will advance to the state finals May 22 and 23 at the College of Wooster.


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