Waldman Art & Writing Awards

Four seventh-grade students from Ryan Gloyer Middle School (RGMS) were recently recognized for their award-winning poems at the 2023 Waldman Arts & Writing Awards, hosted by the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh.

Seventh graders Megan Gates and Kayla Moslander were school winners in the poetry middle school category, Leah Malley won in the education outreach middle school category and Abigail Mihalacki won best middle school poem, which also included $250.

Each year, students in the gifted education classes at RGMS partner with Classrooms Without Borders (CWB) for a Holocaust unit by bringing in teacher and playwright, Susan Stein. Ms. Stein speaks to students about diaries written by young people during the Holocaust and how they can use writing skills to impact their lives now.

“Since Ms. Stein’s first visit, we’ve been completing poems based on the diaries that we studied,” said Ryan Gloyer Middle School Gifted Support Teacher Mr. Zeke Stroupe. “This year, my students completed a series of poems and blew me away. From there, Mrs. Loewy met with interested students to polish their work and then submitted them to a contest for the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh.”

The Waldman Arts & Writing awards ceremony took place on May 10 at Chatham University. This annual event allows students in grades 6-12 to compete for financial scholarships and winners are honored with prizes and certificates.