Several South Orange Middle School students from Ms. Angela Forero's sixth grade Language Arts classes were winners in the 2010 "Letters About Literature" essay competition, sponsored by the Library of Congress and NJ Center for the Book.

The winners were Peyton Hassler, Aicha Kone, Sophie Kushen, Kalen Michals, Eilis Price. The students received their awards from NJ First Lady MaryPat Christie during a gala reception at the Governor's Mansion in Princeton. There were a total of 26 winners in Grades 4-6, and out of thousands of entries from all over New Jersey, only 86 winners overall.

The theme for the contest essays was, "Write a letter to an author explaining how his or her work somehow changed your view of the world or yourself."

Letters About Literature is a national reading promotion program of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, presented in partnership with Target and affiliated state Centers for the Book.