FORT MITCHELL — John Hancock made his mark on history with a bold signature, a lesson not lost on second-grader Nick Mason, Kentucky state champion in a national handwriting competition.

Nick Mason, a student at Blessed Sacrament School in Ft. Mitchell, was judged to have the best penmanship of all second-graders in Kentucky. (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

        Nick, 7, from Lakeside Park, was the only Kentucky student to place at the state level in the 11th annual contest held by Columbus-based publishing house Zaner-Bloser. The contest attracted 110,550 applicants nationwide.

        According to contest rules, the publishing house can choose a winner from each grade in every state, but the Blessed Sacrament School student was the only one out of Kentucky's 200 first- through eighth-grade applicants to place.

        “I feel very proud of myself and I feel really surprised,” Nick said after the Monday award ceremony, attended by his grandparents, parents, sister, school staff and students.

        Penmanship is taught in first through fourth grades at Blessed Sacrament.

NICK'S TIPS

Nick Mason gave tips on how students can improve their handwriting:   • Practice your signature.   • Take time when writing.   • Don't hold a pencil with your entire hand.   • Sit up straight, keep both feet on the ground.   • Don't try too hard.   • Don't push hard, write lightly.

        Nick won an engraved wooden pen with a display case, a stuffed animal and a plaque, in addition to pens for his teacher and principal. The national champion in Nick's category, a student from Grand Marais Elementary in Jeanerette, La., won a $500 savings bond.

        After the ceremony, all 250 students shot their hands into the air when asked who was going to enter the contest next year. “It's not the prestige, it's the reinforcement,” Principal Michele Gummer said.

        “Our kids need to see that handwriting counts. I guarantee that their handwriting will be better than it was before Easter.”

        Good penmanship is important, even in the age of e-mail and Palm Pilots, the publisher says. Statistics compiled by Zaner-Bloser show that nearly 58 percent of the handwriting on hospital charts is illegible and that 38 million illegibly addressed letters cost the U.S. Postal Service $4 million a year.

        JoNell Ramsey, a teacher for more than 30 years, who now works for Zaner-Bloser, presented Nick's award. She said that penmanship can be a flag for learning or emotional problems in students, highlighting dyslexia and/or anger problems.

        Lisa Krejci, the teacher who entered Nick in the competition, described Nick as an artistic, reserved student well-liked by his peers.

        “I think those are the kids who deserve a pat on the back,” Ms. Krejci said.

        “It really is a big booster. Sometimes it pushes them.”

        Nick said that he would continue to practice his penmanship and enter the contest again next year. He said he plans to become an architect.

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