Way to Go: Italia Gorski, Floral Park
Italia Gorski, 15, a freshman at Floral Park Memorial High School, is one of 44 high school freshmen nationwide to earn a perfect score in the WordWright Challenge competition, which requires analytical reading of poetry and prose and focuses on perceptive interpretation, sensitivity to language and an appreciation of style.
A Floral Park student with a passion for reading is one of 44 high school freshmen nationwide to earn a perfect score in the WordWright Challenge competition.
Italia Gorski, 15, of Floral Park Memorial High School, was among more than 60,000 students in grades 9 through 12 who participated in the contest. It requires analytical reading of poetry and prose and focuses on perceptive interpretation, sensitivity to language and an appreciation of style.
"I was surprised and happy," Gorski said of her top score. "It made me feel like my years of reading books had paid off."
The test asked teens to read a four-page story involving an encounter between two runaway slaves and a farmer and answer 11 questions, Gorski said.
She credited her success to her love of reading, which she said stems from her parents reading to her at an early age. Her preferred genres are historical fiction and fantasy, and her favorite author is Ann Rinaldi, who writes fiction for young adults.
At Floral Park, Gorski is president of the Book Club and a member of Mathletes. She also plays piano and baritone horn and volunteers in programs at the Floral Park Public Library.
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