Margaret Crawford,

St. Pius X High School junior Margaret Crawford, who lives in Decatur, has been chosen by the National Council of Teachers of English as one of its outstanding writers in the 2013 NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing program.

Crawford was one of three students from Georgia and the 38th St. Pius X student since 1969 to earn the honor.

St. Pius X’s English department chairperson, Mike Scirocco, said, “To be recognized by the National Council of Teachers of English as one of the best writers in the nation testifies to her intelligence, creativity and extraordinary ability to communicate complex ideas with style and precision. This recognition of a St. Pius X student as being among the best writers in the nation is an ongoing tribute to the excellence achieved when talented students and outstanding teachers work together.”

According to the NCTE Web site, the writing achievement program was established in 1957 to encourage high school students in their writing and to recognize publicly some of the best student writers in the nation. A team of English teachers judges the entries.

More than 750 students from across the United States, Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American schools abroad participated in the 2013 competition. Of that number, 155 students were selected as outstanding writers this year.