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Saint Mark’s High School is pleased to announce that twenty-four students earned top honors in this year’s Delaware Regional Scholastic Writing Awards. Two of those students earned Gold Key status and will be moving onto the national competition. These students join the nine students who were previously announced as winners of the Delaware Regional Scholastic Art Awards. Saint Mark’s had two Gold Key winners in the art category, as well. Awardees will be recognized at a virtual awards ceremony in May. Gold Key works will advance to the national competition, with medalists being announced in June. Junior Kirah Irani won the Gold Key in the Science Fiction and Fantasy Category for the piece Forever Residents. “I wrote it as an origin story for a made-up urban legend. It follows a pair of siblings and how their entire lives change in an instant. I have always enjoyed writing, especially fantasy, and winning this award has shown me others enjoy my writing as much as I enjoy writing it,” she said. Freshman Mia Hussnatter won the Gold Key for her personal narrative essay Diversity is in Everyone. “This essay explores how I learned, through my amputated grandfather, that everyone is diverse and suffers through their struggles daily,” she said. “He doesn't let his problems overthrow him, but he fights back.” Rebecca Harvey, Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction, was excited to share the good news with the Spartan community. "We are very proud of our talented writers. We continue to foster creativity and passion for the written word as is exemplified in these fine, emerging authors,” she said. The student winners from Saint Mark’s High School are as follows: GOLD KEY: Kirah Irani Mia Hussnatter SILVER KEY: Briana Balmir Brooke Kennedy Sophia Hayden Erin Cannon Andrew Bailey Meghan Kirker Mac Casalvera HONORABLE MENTION: Mariana Fernandez Aidann Gomez Gianna Bracalenti Katie Zwilgmeyer Nick Tokarski Theresa Rosanio Fin Wilson Brianna Fegley Shay Burns Macy Pritt Cara Cocuzza John Jacob Kyle Sollenberger Dana Shanklin Banke Odugbesan