AMSA Charter School Student Wins Best Teen Writing Award

Joel Wilner, a junior at the Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School in Marlborough,  and a resident of Marlborough will be featured in The Best Teen Writing of 2012, published by Scholastic. Every year, Scholastic publishes an anthology of outstanding award-winning work from its Art and Writing Awards, the longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in the country. Alumni of the Art and Writing Awards include artist Andy Warhol, author Joyce Carol Oates, and filmmaker Ken Burns, among many others.

Joel wrote a persuasive essay titled “The World Is Not Flat,” in which he argues why students need a better education in the field of geography. Joel won a prestigious Regional Gold Key for his work; only 7-10% of all regional submissions earn this award. Recipients of the Regional Gold Key are then eligible for consideration at the national level. Joel went on to win a National Silver Medal. In June, he received the award at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

In September, he received an email from Scholastic telling him that “The World Is Not Flat” would soon be featured in The Best Teen Writing of 2012. Joel’s essay was one of seventy chosen from the top 500 national award winners for publication. The Best Teen Writing of 2012 will be available for purchase on Amazon later this fall.