Newtown Students Featured In UConn Publication

By Eliza Hallabeck

When Reed Intermediate School sixth grader Teresa Forlenzo first learned about the chance to submit work to the Connecticut Student Writers statewide magazine from her teacher Jonathan Hull, she thought it sounded fun, but did not expect to be published.

Now both Teresa and Newtown High School Freshman Maggie Luongo are published authors in Connecticut Student Writers, a magazine published by the University of Connecticut. The two students’ works were selected from more than 1,000 submissions.

“I thought it is a once in a lifetime chance,” said Teresa, “and the chances of winning were very little.”

Teresa wrote about her little sister Julia, “because she is very important to me.”

Teresa’s submission, “Before You Were Born,” and Maggie’s, “False Identity,” were both published in the magazine.

Teresa has also been asked to read from her piece at a reception in Storrs on May 10 for the publication.