Combining her love of fishing with writing, Copiague Middle School eighth-grader Claudia Motley entered the 2012 Youth Essay Writing Contest sponsored by the Long Island Outdoor Communications Network, On the Water magazine and the Coastal Conservation Association New York. Claudia’s fictional story, titled “My Fishing Story,” placed first out of hundreds of entries in the junior category. A panel comprised of distinguished educators, editors and award-winning writers and book authors judged the contest, which was open to all Long Island and New York City children in grades 1-12.
According to the website http://www.50plusny.com, the goal of the contest was to encourage essay writing as a means to introduce children and young adults to the core values, benefits, traditions and enjoyment of fishing and other outdoors activities, and to perpetuate and enhance fundamental writing skills among the current and next generation of America's youth.
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