Washington Jesuit Academy

While boys in middle school compose emails with ease and texts with lightening speed, being asked to write a formal letter is oftentimes met with a blank stare; particularly when the letter is to someone they’ve never met.  Yet each year, WJA students in 6th-8th grade each write a letter to a famous author describing how they relate to one of author’s stories or poems as part of the Library of Congress’ “Letters About Literature” contest.
 
This year we are proud to announce that a letter written by WJA eighth grader DeSean Bonner took first place in the regional competition!  While WJA has been fortunate to have many finalists in the regional competition, DeSean’s regional ranking is a first for the Academy.

In his letter to famed author Paul Laurence Dunbar, DeSean writes, “A poem can open a new world with feelings and ideas not directly stated in the poem, but illustrated in your mind!  Mr. Dunbar, your poem, ‘Sympathy’ was remarkable because it was able to bring up feelings I never knew I had in my heart.”  DeSean goes on to talk about how he relates to the poem as an African-American and through the opportunities he’s been given at the Academy; “Being African-American has allowed me to gain access to different places that are culturally rich… One place that is culturally rich is the Washington Jesuit Academy, which allows me to learn about my heritage and express it.”
 
On behalf of WJA, we congratulate DeSean on his wonderful expression of words!