9-year-old NJ boy has best handwriting in the country

Edbert Aquino, of Fairview, won the Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest, making him the third-grader with the best penmanship in the country.

"I really didn't expect it," Aquino said.

His national trophy is almost as tall as him. He first competed at the state level and won.

Aquino's cursive skills are spot-on perfect when compared side-by-side to the examples kids are copying inside Lori Solan's third-grade class at Our Lady of Grace School in Fairview.

"He pays very close attention to detail and I think thats what allows his handwriting to look the way it does," Solan said.

Aquino said the key to success is concentration.

"I ignore all the other things, like if I hear some sort of (noise), I turn my head and come back," he said.

Aquino earned $1,000 for his school to put toward education materials, as well as a cash prize of $500 that he got to take home.

"I will for now save it because something might come up that my parents might need, I might need, so I'll always have that money in case," Aquino said.