Student Spotlight: NYT Writing Competition Winner Ginkgo Chen ’26

BY CHUHENG LOU ’28

It’s rare for a 16-year-old to earn recognition as a New York Times contest-winning writer. However, Ginkgo Chen ’26 defied all odds, as she won the New York Times’ sixteenth annual Summer Reading Contest during the summer of 2025. A senior at Jericho High School, Chen entered an essay in The New York Times’ global competition where teens were prompted to pick a recent New York Times piece and explain in writing or video, why the piece resonated with them. Out of 11,152, Chen stood out, winning for her essay inspired by the New York Times opinion essay titled “They Let Their Children Cross the Street, and Now They’re Felons.”

Chen chose to write in response to this opinion essay about the complicated ethics of parenting because it spoke to her life. The original piece told the story of the Jenkins family who faced criminal charges after letting their children cross the street without an adult. What devastated Chen most was the line, “Just because parents don’t have their eyes on their kids every single second doesn’t mean they are bad parents.” The essay’s line about parental judgment inspired her, highlighting the contradiction in modern parenting encouraging independence while risking blame. Chen said the personal connection and the societal context drove her creative process.

Writing about such a complex topic for an important competition wasn’t easy. Chen said that the toughest part of writing her own piece in response was balancing honesty with a strong voice without seeming overly dramatic. 

Chen overcame this challenge by studying The New York Times opinion essay style, format and craft, and then revising extensively while also focusing on authentic experiences, which lightened her pressure and refined her piece. Chen said, “Once I stopped trying so hard and just focused on what felt real, the words came together much easier. I probably revised my piece a dozen times, maybe more, but hey, who doesn’t love rewriting at 2 a.m.?”

From her personal experiences, Chen learned that writing can amplify silent struggles, fostering conversations about trust and justice. Her process involved reflecting on personal moments, like times with her sibling to explore the tension between freedom and fear, aiming to resonate with readers.  Chen said, “I kept coming back to small, quiet moments like sitting in the kitchen with my younger sibling or learning to be responsible when no one is watching. I wanted to capture the tension between freedom and fear.” 

Chen’s work emphasizes the impact of sharing personal truths. Her ongoing development as a writer promises to inspire thoughtful engagement, uncovering deeper, more meaningful stories behind headlines…a NYT win certainly doesn’t hurt.