The Youngstown State University has held the English Festival every year for the past 40 years. Per usual some of the students of Jackson-Milton middle and high school (7-12) attended this event. These students were accompanied by their English teachers. They left the school around 8:00 a.m. and returned in the afternoon around 4:20 p.m. on April 18 – 20. For lunch the students got to choose from the many restaurants on the campus and hangout with their friends. This event is also an awesome way for students from a bunch of different schools to come together and have a good time doing something educational and fun.

This year at the English Festival there was three guest lecturers Kekla Magoon, Chris Crutcher, and Laurie Halse Anderson. Each of the guest lecturers were authors of some of the books the students have to read for the festival. The students from grades 7-9 and 10-12 read different books that were suited for their age groups, and at the festival they did different activities that students had fun participating in.

Rachel Lanham; a sophomore; said,”My experience at the YSU English Festival was as amazing as always, reading the books was a lot of work, but the reward was fantastic.”

Leona Stout; a senior; said,”I had a good time and it was great to be able to do something educational and fun where I have some freedom to be independent.”

At the end of each day in Kilcawley Center from 3:15 – 3:45 winners of festival competitions are awarded prizes for their success. The winners go on stage and receive their awards and the congratulations of the author-lecturer(s),  Board members, and Committee members.

All in all the Jackson-Milton students had a great time like all the years before.  Jackson-Milton High School students earned awards at the English Festival at Youngstown State University.

The English Festival featured different categories, like Not So Trivial Pursuit. For this  category, students were required to answer in-depth questions about the books they read. For Impromptu Writing, students were given prompts based on readings, and had 50 minutes to respond to the prompt without using any outside books or resources.

Congratulations to the following Blue Jays :

Impromptu Writing

• Honorable Mention, Dominic Scandy (10th grade)

Writing Games

• First Place, Darien Arthur (10th grade)

Not So Trivial Pursuit

• Second Place,Gianna Arquilla (10th grade)
• Third Place, Dominic Scandy (10th grade)
• First Place, Kelsie Taylor (9th grade)

I Love Limericks

• Second Place, Michael French (9th grade)