TSS alumna Sydney Benjamin, daughter of TSS teacher Kelli Kazmarski, was honored as the first place winner of the 2014 Calvin Prize for Vermont Youth last week in New York City.

This year, the prompt asked “Should I stay [in Vermont], or go?” Applicants were also requested to reference Calvin Coolidge’s letter to his father: “I have been thinking what I should do when I get out of College, would you like to have me start in the store and live in Plymouth and live for Plymouth? Or would you prefer to have me enter some profession and go away and leave my community as almost every man of your generation who had any ability did except my father.”

Their responses must be fewer than 1,000 words.

“I would just like to say a huge thank you to you, and to all the teachers at TSS. I cannot emphasize enough how many times I have given you guys credit for my success in high school, be it at math, writing, or art. Everything you guys did prepared me so well for the environment and type of work that I have done here,” said Sydney.

The Coolidge Foundation received almost 100 entries this year.

Congratulations, Sydney!