SONIA TSURUOKA is the winner of the first MEWS Scholarship.  The Montclair High School senior, who is the co-editor-in-chief of both the award-winning Mountaineer newspaper and the Phoenix Art and Literary magazine, as well as opinions editor of the Scoop Daily blog, plans to study writing at Johns Hopkins and hopes for a career as an international correspondent.

Sonia epitomizes the ideals of the $1500 award, established to honor a graduating senior who’s shown a dedication to and an interest in a career in the fields of writing, editing, and/or literature.  Sonia is also involved in Model UN, the Debate Team, and tutoring kids in writing.  Teachers and administrators called her one of the “unsung heroes” of Montclair High.

Thanks to NANCY STAR and FILIP BONDY, who worked with me to develop the award, interview the seven wonderful candidates, and ultimately choose Sonia as the winner.  And thanks too to all the MEWSies who contributed an impressive $1500 for the scholarship.

The full list of contributors (though I’m not counting the pennies and $20 bills thrown anonymously into the collection jar at the MEWS party):

BARI ADELMAN

LAURIE & FRANK ALBANESE

LAUREN ANDERSON

GLORIA AVERBUCH

LESLIE BRODY

ALICE ELLIOTT DARK & LARRY DARK

JESSICA DeKONINCK

LOUISE DeSALVO

RITA DiMATTEO

DEBORAH DUNN

BRUCE FRANK & SUSAN WEINBERG

DOROTHEA BENTON FRANK

NANCY GERBER

RON HOLLANDER

TONI MARTIN

JOHN & PATTI PAINE

LISA ROSENBERG

KEN & WENDY SCHUMAN

PAULA SPAN

NANCY STAR

NANCY WILLIAMS

Please, if I’ve forgotten anybody, let me know.  Thank you!