Israel-born Abigail Nissim, now an Islander Middle School eighth-grader, received a runner-up writing award for her piece “Stuck” in the New York Times Tiny Memoir Contest earlier this year.

“Stuck” delves into the moment she learned about the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. At the age of 2, Nissim moved with her parents and siblings to Mercer Island.

She explained the emotional situation that led to penning her memoir in a Mercer Island School District story: “All of my family is over there. We started this project in early November, and everything happening in Israel was so fresh, and my TV was always on to Israeli channels. Even today, I am thinking about my family all the time.”

Nissim, who was recognized for her accolade by the Mercer Island School District board of directors at their March 14 meeting, added: “I think it’s a very unique experience for something to be happening in a place very important to you when you’re so far away. You are stuck somewhere else and you can’t be there for them.”

“Stuck” transpired during a project led by the eighth-grade language arts team of Whitney Swope, Taylor Gall and Joseph Gushanas. Students developed their narratives by telling stories about their childhood memories, their proudest moments, and the experiences that changed their worldview.

To read “Stuck,” visit: https://tinyurl.com/3edshbrw.