563-5400 (M)| 563-8400 (N) | 568-6560 (W)     201 Fullerton Avenue(Main) 301 Robinson Avenue(North) 39 West Street(West), Newburgh, NY 12550

Newburgh Free Academy

Recent Alumnus Wins Inaugural Newburgh Literary Festival Student Writing Award


Safe Harbors of the Hudson is proud to announce Steven Baltsas as the recipient of the inaugural Newburgh Literary Festival Student Writing Award for his piece, The Tower, which appeared in the 2019 edition of Colonnade, the Newburgh Free Academy's literary arts magazine. The award, sponsored by Hudson Valley Cancer Genetics, includes a spot in a six-week memoir writing workshop with best-selling author, Danielle Trussoni. 

Steven Baltsas is a 2019 graduate of Newburgh Free Academy with high honors. Mr. Baltsas will be attending SUNY New Paltz in the Fall and plans to major in English with a minor in History. He is a 2018 recipient of the National Scholastic Art and Writing Award silver medal in recognition of his personal essay An Agora of Memory. Most recently, Steven contributed to the writing of The Newburgh Project, which made its debut at Safe Harbors Lobby at the Ritz during the Newburgh Illuminated Festival this past June. 

Steven lives with his family who have resided in the Newburgh area for the past 60 years. He started reading at a very young age and was inspired to write with the encouragement of his 4thgrade teacher, Mrs. Sartori. "In that classroom, I was born a writer", (The Tower, Colonnade, 2019). Steven kept most of his work private, but began to take his writing more seriously when his 8thGrade teacher, Mr. Maher, introduced him to the Hudson Valley Writing Project. 

Steven is so appreciative of his advisors, Ginny McCurdy and NFA teacher Ryan Walz, and his sponsor, Safe Harbors of the Hudson Board member Dr. Hannah Brooks. He looks forward to the opportunity to work alongside a professional author, Danielle Trussoni, in her upcoming workshop, "How to Tell The Story of Your Life," at the Hudson Valley Writer's Center this Summer. www.writerscenter.org/calendar/trussoni

This award launches Safe Harbors Newburgh Literary Festival scheduled to take place Saturday, October 19. The festival is produced in collaboration with Thornwillow Press and Ms. Trussoni, and will feature eight nationally-recognized authors. It promises to be a lively program filled with readings, interviews, podcasts, film clips, Q&A and will culminate in a meet-and-greet cocktail reception and a local authors book fair.

"This is going to be a wonderful weekend destination for literature and leaf-peeping!" says Executive Director, Lisa Silverstone. "The festival will be bookended on Friday by the Spring Street Reading Series at Atlas Industries, and on Sunday by writing workshops by poet Ruth Danon and Danielle Trussoni."

Ms. Trussoni, who helped spearhead the Newburgh Literary Festival with Safe Harbors of the Hudson, is the author of New York Times Best-Selling thrillers Angelology and Angelopolis and three memoirs. She is a popular columnist for the New York Times Book Review. Her forthcoming novel, The Ancestor, is set in the Hudson Valley and will be published by William Morrow in February 2020. 

(Left to right: Safe Harbors of the Hudson Executive Director, Lisa Silverstone, Author Danielle Trussoni, NFA Honor Student, Steven Baltsas and Safe Harbors of the Hudson Board Members Dr. Hannah Brooks and Virginia McCurdy.)

Story and photo provided by Safe Harbors of the Hudson.







Date: 2019-06-28 07:28:09





QUICK CONTACT

Main Switchboard
845.563.3400
Food Services
845.563.3424
Registration
845.563.5437
BOE Clerk
845.563.3503
Transportation
845.568.6833
Payroll
845.563.3440
Athletics
845.563.5420
Business/Fin.
845.563.3448
Human Resources
845.563.3460
Technology
845.568.6540
Tax Office
845.563.3490
Newburgh Free Library
845.563.3600

SCHOOLS

Balmville
845.563.8550
Fostertown
845.568.6425
Gardnertown
845.568.6400
GAMS Tech
845.563.8450
Horizons
845.563.3725
Meadow Hill
845.568.6600
New Windsor
845.563.3700
Temple Hill
845.568.6450
Vails Gate
845.563.7900
Heritage Middle
845.563.3750
South Middle
845.563.7000
NFA Main
845.563.5400
NFA North
845.563.8400
NFA West
845.568.6560