S
haler Area High School graduating senior
John Stanton won first place in High
School Creative Writing in the 2019
Waldman International Arts and Writing
Competition.
John Stanton Jr., 17, is the son of Gwen
Michalek and Brad Crissman. In June,
he will graduate from Shaler Area High
School, and plans to attend Chatham
University in the fall.
At Shaler High School, he was involved in the founding
of the history club, and aided in Holocaust remembrance
through the many events he volunteered for that are
operated by Holocaust teacher Nick Haberman.
John has always had a passion for writing and graphic
design. “I love to create things for people, as I have a
general desire to make people happy,” he says. He became
interested in writing at the start of his freshman year.
Looking for an easy class, he joined creative writing, and
was told by his teacher, Ben Shannon, that his writing
was something skilled and unique. “Mr. Shannon helped
me realize I have an inherent skill, and that if I worked
on bettering my ability to put a plot together and make a
story flow, I could be published with ease,” says John.
He put a heavier focus on crafting stories, and soon
gained the ability to create in-depth, large-scale fiction
stories. “My favorite is fiction writing because I can create
original worlds with characters that are a product of the
environment I’ve worked to mold and define, and I’ve
worked many, many hours to create worlds you can invest
yourself in,” he says. “Escapism is a heavy aspect of my
writing, as I wish to make stories and universes one can
fully invest themselves into.”
The Waldman International Arts and Writing
Competition is open to students in grades 6 to 12, with
parallel competitions held in the Pittsburgh area as well as
in the Karmiel-Misgav region of Israel. This year’s theme,
“Women in the Holocaust 1933-1945,” inspired many
students who submitted entries in three categories: creative
writing, visual arts, or short film (high school only).
“I love to create things
for people, as I have
a general desire to
make people happy.”
“I decided to enter the competition because I believe
heavily in the idea of Holocaust remembrance. Because
writing is my best skill, I knew the only way I could spread
those ideals is through writing,” says John. “I saw no
harm in entering because, if I lost, I would be advertising
an organization that serves an important part in teaching
Holocaust remembrance.”
John’s entry, “Sumpf Sturm,” is a 40-page fictional
account of a group of people living in the swamps of
Poland during World War II and doing whatever they can
to thrive and survive and slow the Nazis’ progress.
“My inspiration for this piece was telling the Holocaust
from a different perspective—of a more subtle, forgotten
story of those who fought against the Nazis knowing they
couldn’t beat them alone, but tried their best to do the
right thing in an era of the rule of fascism and bigotry,”
says John. “This piece is important to me because it shows
I truly can make people feel certain emotions through my
stories.”
John earned a $500 scholarship for his work, and
was recognized at the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh’s
awards and recognition event on May 1 at Rodef Shalom
Synagogue.
“I’d like to thank Mr. Shannon and Mr. Haberman for
giving me the skills and knowledge to make this story,”
says John. “I plan to attend college to hone my skills in
creative writing and English literature, and hopefully
making a career out of writing.” n
SHALER ❘ SUMMER 2019
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