High Tech’s Rebecca Klein-Cohen Wins Second Place in 2017 Letters About Literature Presentation

(Livingston, NJ—May 17, 2017) Hoboken resident Rebecca Klein-Cohen of High Tech has won Second Place in the national Library of Congress program, Letters About Literature, and she took part in the 2017 celebration for New Jersey’s winners, held at the Student Center at the Livingston Campus of Rutgers University, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech.

Klein-Cohen dedicated her letter to Lin Manuel Miranda, the creator of the widely-popular musical Hamilton: An American Musical, and entered it into Category III, which covers 9-12 graders.

Also in Category III, the following High Tech students have earned Distinguished Honors: Gabriel Goya of Bayonne, who wrote a letter addressed to David Lubar, author of Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie, and North Bergen residents Julissa Laignelet and Isabella Rodriguez, who wrote to Jay Asher, author of Thirteen Reasons Why, and Lauren Oliver, the author of Before I Fall, respectively.  These three students accompanied Klein-Cohen to the celebration.

Out of almost 2,000 letters submitted in the Letters About Literature contest, High Tech High School received notice that these four students had been recognized at the Letters About Literature ceremony. Judges for Letters About Literature include authors, publishers, librarians and educators. The first two rounds of reading occurs at the Library of Congress, which determines which letters advance to state-level judging. First place state winners only advance for national judging.

Julissa Laignelet, Rebecca Klein-Cohen, Isabella Rodriguez, Gabriel Goya, Pat Morris (Executive Director, New Jersey Center for the Book), and Guy Lamolinara (Communications Officer, Library of Congress, the Center for the Book)