High school students’ work published in anthology

Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, June 21, 2007

Emily Owens of Niagara-Wheatfield was honored for her pen and ink drawing of Apache Lake in Arizona, which was used for the cover of the Niagara County Community College’s “About Place 2007” anthology.

Five local high school students also had their personal essays published. This is the seventh year of the writing project, which invites high school juniors and seniors to submit personal essays, which are then judged at the high school level and forwarded on to NCCC faculty members for final judging.

Winners selected in this year’s writing competition are: Natalie Kappus, David Nasca, both from Newfane High School; and Cassandra Johnson, Sara Pogorzelski and Elizabeth Sanderson, all from North Tonawanda High School.

The students were honored at a reception and book signing at the college on April 18. Kappus took first prize in the competition; Johnson, second and Nasca, third. Pogorzelski and Sanderson were awarded honorable mentions.

•Kappus is a junior and lives on her family farm in Newfane. She enjoys listening to music, plays clarinet and piano and writes poetry. Her poem “Greed” was published in “Celebration,” a book of poems by high schools students. She participates in Model UN and is a member of Amnesty International.

•Johnson is a senior at North Tonawanda High School, plans to major in news media arts and hopes to work for Disney. Her art has been featured in a district-wide art show. She also is a member of the school’s drama club and volunteers with the SPCA. She will be attending the State University at Fredonia next year.

•A junior at Newfane, Nasca plans to pursue a degree in political science, international relations, anthropology and classical studies. He plans to attend the University of Chicago. At Newfane, Nasca is involved in music, academics and student government.

•Pogorzelski is a senior at North Tonawanda. She is in the top of her class and is a member of FLBA and Student Council. She plans to attend SUNY Fredonia and major in adolescent Spanish education.

•A junior at North Tonawanda, Sanderson has served as president of the drama club for two years and takes part in advanced vocal groups as well as the school’s wind symphony and jazz band. She was elected Quality Student and served as the overall senior girls chairperson. She plans to become a music educator and run her own drama program.

•Owens, a sophomore at Niagara-Wheatfield, won first place for a drawing exhibited at the Castellani Gallery in Niagara County’s Student Art Show in 2006. She is a member of the school’s tennis team and is planning to pursue a career in photography.

Judges from NCCC include Associate professor Susan Duvall Crafts, professor Denise David, professor Livio Farallo, professor Ian Stapley. Marcia Wagner, curriculum coordinator at Lewiston-Porter Central School, assisted them.

Participating in this year’s contest were Akron, Albion, Amherst, Barker, Iroquois, Kenmore East, Kenmore West, Lewiston-Porter, Medina, Newfane, Niagara Falls, North Tonawanda, Royalton-Hartland, Starpoint, Sweet Home, Tonawanda, Williamsville East, Williamsville South and Wilson High Schools.

“About Place” is a collaborative effort of the Environmental Task Force of NCCC, Buffalo Audubon Society, NCCC Foundation Inc., NCCC Tech Prep Program, Orleans-Niagara Teacher Center, Niagara County Environmental Management Council, Western New York Reading Project and the Niagara Frontier Reading Council.

Professor Peggy Elliott coordinates the project.