Chloe Choi, a student at La Crescenta Elementary School, was selected as the second grade grand national champion in the 30^th annual Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest. This means Chloe had the best print handwriting among all of the second grade entries from across the country.

Nine students – one in each grade from kindergarten through eighth – earned the distinction of grand national grade-level champions. Nine other students emerged as semifinalists. Students who compete come from both public and private schools across the country that use the Zaner-Bloser handwriting and/or reading curriculum. These winners were selected from more than 70,000 participants in this year’s competition. 

Celebrating its 30^th year, the Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest is the longest-running and best-known handwriting competition in the U.S. It’s meant to encourage handwriting instruction and recognize students for their outstanding penmanship, a skill that many education experts believe bolsters academic success. 

 “Research has shown time and time again that handwriting has a positive effect on children’s learning, providing many benefits that support cognitive development and improve academic outcomes,” said Lisa Carmona, president of Zaner-Bloser. “Our contest recognizes handwriting as an important component of literacy education and celebrates students for their hard work and commitment to excellence.” 

The contest also includes a category for students with special needs. The Nicholas Maxim Award, named in honor of a past participant whose passion for writing inspired the award, is open to students with a cognitive, intellectual, physical, or developmental disability who excel in manuscript and cursive. 

  Chloe Choi, Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest