R.C. Murphy Junior High School eighth-grader Jordan Klein earned second place in the 2015 Kenneth F. Gambone Writing Contest sponsored by the Long Island Language Arts Council. 

Jordan’s piece, which followed the contest prompt “The thing I know for sure,” focused on the perseverance and growth of the Jewish population over the centuries. As a second-place winner, he was invited to attend the organization’s luncheon, where he was presented with a Barnes and Noble gift card and three books.