Unionville High School Students’ Memoirs Named Honorable Mention by the New York Times

Out of 12,000 entries submitted for the New York Times’s third annual Personal Narrative Contest, memoirs written by Unionville High School’s Maxwell (Max) Steward and Yuna Onishi were two of 72 recognized as Honorable Mention for creatively telling a complete tale in just a few sentences.

The contest invited students to craft a compelling story about a meaningful life moment in just 100 words. Participants had to select a significant event and turn it into a concise yet impactful narrative.

“Because we had a word limit, I recapped what happened and conveyed the emotion of the event through the tone,” Max explained.

Not only did the students refine their creative writing skills, but they also gained deeper insight about themselves.

“I did not see much potential in my writing abilities before, but the honorable mention has made me feel I can do something with this,” Yuna reflected. “I like writing, and in the future, I am considering pursuing a career as an English teacher.”

Max and Yuna completed the pieces originally as a class assignment with the help of their English teacher, Mrs. Holguin.

“Max and Yuna, along with their classmates, exemplify a willingness to learn,” Mrs. Holguin shared. “Inspired by the examples they read and the writing tools we explored, they crafted impressive narratives. They make Unionville proud!”