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Cape High student going to Carnegie Hall for writing honor

By Staff | Apr 3, 2012

Cape Coral High School student Tyler Goss has earned national recognition in The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards of 2012.

His work was chosen by panels of professional writers identifying him as one of the most talented young writers in the nation. Now he will join the 1,500 chosen from 200,000 works of art and writing from students across the nation at the famed Carnegie Hall.

Tyler, who is a senior at Cape Coral High, received a silver medal for his memoir titled Squealing Salvation. The organization considers the gold and silver medal winners the best writers in the nation, according to officials.

“It’s a very prestigious honor,” said Cape High School Principal Matthew Mederios. “This really recognizes and showcases Tyler’s writing ability.”

It isn’t his first writing honor this year, Mederios said.

“Earlier this year he won a writing award at the Barbara B. Mann Pride & Patriotism event held annually to honor our veterans,” he said.

English teacher Sue Propert of his creative writing class said,

“Tyler’s also won a number of other writing awards this year,” said English teacher Sue Propert. “He won the Aspiring Authors Award, a contest sponsored by the Lee County Teachers of English, the top award by the organization. He also won third place for fiction for a short story called Grounded, and third place for his memoir in other competitions.”

Goss will receive his national award at a ceremony at the world-famous Carnegie Hall in New York City on June 1 and participate in a number of showcase events at Parsons The New School for Design in New York while there.

He’s won on the state and regional levels for his works as well, she said.

“He is accepting one award this weekend,” Propert said. “He’s had an amazing year, and he’s a great kid.

“I encourage my creative writing classes to enter contests,” she continued. “It’s a big thing for us, and I believe they are more motivated if they eventually see their work published.”

She’s also the sponsor of the schoo’s literary magazine “Expres-sions.”

“All award-winning writings go in there.”

Goss said the idea of receiving the award at Carnegie Hall hasn’t really hit him yet.

“The memoir was an assignment for our creative writing class,” he said. “It started as we talked as a class as the potential story we could do. I had set my eyes on an experience that was very influential in my life.

“When I was about 12 years old, my friend took me out to LaBelle for ‘the redneck experience.’ When we got there we did a four-wheel drive experience at a ranch.”

At the ranch he aslo witnessed the shooting of an animal.

“What it signified is my mother’s belief about how animals have a special stipulation in the Bill of Rights next to humans, and how my situation and beliefs contradicted her beliefs and how at the end I

finished my rite into manhood,” he said.

His future aspirations are not to be a writer, but to be a criminologist. He will be attending Florida State University next year, majoring in criminology.

“I’ve always had a fascination with crime and serial killers, and particularly, I want to know how their minds work,” he said. “I want to know why they do what they do, and I want to help put them away.”

Of Goss’ trip to New York, teacher Propert said, “There is financial need involved in getting him to Carnegie Hall. Scholastic only provides the tickets to the event, not airfare or hotel. If anybody could help, it would be a great experience for him.”

If you would like contribute to his trip fund, call the school at 574-6766 and ask for Propert.