We had a very successful and well attended Reception for New Jersey Letters about Literature State Semi-Finalists and Winners, May 14, 2003, at Drumthwacket, Princeton, New Jersey celebrating the state winners in our Letters about Literature contest. The reception was less volatile and more social and was more representative of the state political and literary community than the Newark Public Library Literary Landmark recognition in October 2002.

Click here to view photos from the event.

The New Jersey Center for the Book participated for the first time this year in the Library of Congress Letters about Literature Contest. It was an extraordinary experience for all who were involved, from the students who submitted almost one thousand entries to the judges who read the remarkable essays of the seventy-five semi-finalists.

We were especially impressed with the thoughtfulness, understanding, and maturity demonstrated by the ideas and written expression of the three state winners. The judges were particularly pleased that New Jersey’s Level I winner emerged as a top national finalist placing among the final six in the country.

The finale of our contest was a reception for all state finalists at Drumthwacket, the Governor’s residence in Princeton. More than three hundred contestants, parents, teachers, and friends joined the board of the New Jersey Center for the Book and distinguished guests from government, education, and the arts to recognize the accomplishment of the students.

Speakers for the event included Renee Swartz, Chair and Coordinator of the New Jersey Center for the Book; Eleanor Horne, Vice President and Corporate Secretary of Educational Testing Service; Regina Thomas, New Jersey Secretary of State, Gus Friedrich, Dean of Rutgers School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, Lucille Davy, Special Counsel to the Governor-Education; Ted Narozanick, Monmouth County Freeholder; Amy Hill Hearth, New York Times best selling author; and Norma Blake, New Jersey State Librarian.

New Jersey Senate Resolution 121 was presented to Mrs. Swartz proclaiming May 12 through May 18 “Center for the Book Week in New Jersey.”

All seventy-five finalists received certificates of accomplishment and one hundred dollar gift certificates were awarded to the three state winners, and the essay of our national semi-finalist was read to the audience.

It was a wonderful day for the Center for the Book and for so many of New Jersey’s most talented young people. We have received so many expressions of appreciation for providing the exceptional reception. One email was particularly touching coming from one of the state winners who told of her newly found affinity for the profession of librarianship.