YISS Students Earn Top Honors in Writing Competition
Written by Courtney Pakos, Middle School ELL/SLS Teacher
Three YISS students earned recognition in the 2nd Annual Words Across Korea Writing Competition, a competition that provides secondary English language learners with an opportunity to showcase their creative writing talents alongside peers from international schools across South Korea.
This year, YISS students competed against participants from five other international schools and received awards in both the poetry collection and fictional narrative categories. Their accomplishments reflect creativity, dedication, and a strong passion for storytelling and written expression.
The following students were recognized for their outstanding work:
Nao Kamemoto received 1st Place in the High School Fictional Narrative category.
Sergi Martinez Ortega received 2nd Place in the Middle School Fictional Narrative category.
Jin Iizuka received 3rd Place in the Middle School Poetry category.
Special recognition goes to Nao Kamemoto, whose first-place fictional narrative was published on the Words Across Korea website, earning her the distinction of becoming a published student author.
The Words Across Korea Writing Competition was created to celebrate the voices and creativity of multilingual learners while encouraging students to grow as writers and communicators. Through original poetry and fictional narratives, students had the opportunity to share their ideas, experiences, and imagination with a wider audience.
The accomplishments of these students highlights the talent and dedication within the YISS community and reflects the school’s commitment to supporting student creativity and academic excellence. Congratulations again to Nao, Sergi, and Jin on their outstanding achievements.
View the 2026 Winners: https://wordsacrosskorea.wordpress.com/
