​Here is part of the fine letter from Nasiata Allah-Kabo, our top award winner among introductory letters by Ghana senior high school students. She attends St. Ann's Girls' School in Sampa. One of our judges praised its "great explanations of culture and tradition."

Hello, Riona!

Your letter was received on the 14th of October 2016. In fact, I was filled with much joy and pleasure to the extent that even words can't describe my happiness for having you as a pen-friend. To be frank, I really enjoyed and understood every single expression in the content of your lovely letter.

Anyway, my name is Nasiata Allah-Kabo. Nasiata is my first name and Allah-Kabo my surname. I am an 18-year-old girl and in the final year (high school). I am a Muslim by religion and a noble student of St. Ann's Girls' SHS (SAGISS) which is a Catholic School situated in Sampa, Brong Ahafo Region, Ghana, West Africa. I am a citizen of Ghana by birth who hails from Sampa in the Brong Ahafo Region.

You know what? I enjoy eating rice with vegetable stew together with egg. What is your favourite fruit? As for me, I really enjoy taking oranges after every meal. Just exactly the subject you prefer, that is when it comes to learning? I enjoy English Language a lot. I love reading story books with opened heart and opened mind. Especially during my leisure time. What do you love doing at your leisure time? I enjoy reading a story book called "The Blinkards" written by a Ghanaian playwright called Kobina Sekyi which was written to ridicule the blind imitation of the European culture by Africans. After school I will like to become a midwife since my aim is to help women in labour to have a safe delivery. And you, what is your future career?
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Yes, unless I forgot, I will be going to the Nurses' and Midwifery Training College after school. This is because I want to study more about safe delivery. I will also attend a school of journalism and become a worldwide famous journalist. I have no siblings and live with my grandparents. The people of Sampa including my family celebrate a festival called the "Krube Festival" during Ramadan. Earnestly speaking, it is one of the best cultural heritage among the people of Sampa. During this festival, the girls dress in nice clothes with beads around their neck, waist and wrist together with something special made from sack called "sokuo." They dance waving it into the air, meaning they are thankful to God for his protection throughout the whole year.

This school year some of our schools have elected to include poems with their letters. The two schools leading the way are King School in Portland and L & A Academy outside of Accra. Mr. Justice Joseph Prah and Mr. Daniel Arkoh Fenyi have been judging the poems.

Here is the work of our leading poet from Ghana: Ofori Emmanuel of L & A Academy. Mr. Prah praises his poems for embodying "simple aesthetics . . . tied to childhood experiences."

I am from Africa the beautiful places.
All kinds of plants such as mango, orange, pawpaw,
apple, banana and watermelon and animals. And
the person I missed most is my mother.

I am from my apartment, yellow and blue
colors, one front door, five bedrooms and two bathrooms
I live with my lovely family.


The Moon

The virgin moon is out tonight
And it shall be our only light
As we look for a game to play.
But the virgin moon has something to say.

Being the queen that rules the night
She looks so lovely and bright.
With a baby firmly in her palms.
And watches us as we play.


And here is the Black Star award winner from King, a poem by Ja'Shanique Broussard that Mr. Prah praises for its use of hyperbole, alliteration, and irony.
I am from a very
cold city rain, wind, and storms.
From a small city with Thousands
of people EVERYWHERE!!
I am from a big family
With 17 cousins
5 girls
12 boys and
2 aunts
4 uncles
I am from 6am mornings
By a highway and a mall
From an hour ride to 
School
I am from a class of
2021 in 5 more years
Then I'll be free From
10 years at King
School to Benson
High School
I am from Portland, Oregon
to where
111 people move
Here EVERYDAY
From nothing to do
But yet somewhere to go
I am from the 
ONLY CHILD to
Hoping that there's
No other
From already hating my cousins to
Living
in a big enough
House for 2 people ONLY!
I am from growing up
To a saying
"You dont want that old butt whoopin because that new
Butt whoopin aint gonna
Teach you nothing"
From not knowing what 
That saying means to now
Knowing by growin up.
I am from wondering how
Life
Is going to be when
I grow up from knowing what I want
To be and knowing if Ima make it.
I am from eating soul food
To eating other
cultural foods
Like Ghanaian food
Fufu, Kenkey, Peanut butter stew
Spinach stew is my favorite
From not just eating
But using different things
That they use
Like an African sponge,
I am from Erica
one of my friends, dad
Letting me make Fufu for the first time! It
was really fun and different and it Taste so
good with
Spinach stew
I am from listening to
Hip Hop and R&B Like
21 savage, Sydney Renae, Ibefoolyn Etc. To
trying new music
From now listening to all types of music
Like Eric Bellinger, Lloyd,
From listening to jazz to go to fall asleep