Nine young writers from across Southside Virginia have been honored in the first Young Writers Competition at Longwood University.
All writing on the theme “hope,” students attending high school in Southside were invited to submit poetry, fiction, or nonfiction to a penal of judges by March 1. Winners were notified April 1.
“These young writers addressed the theme of hope in both insightful and varied ways,” said Longwood’s Dr. Sean Ruday one of the contest directors. “The ideas they expressed on this topic show their awareness of and ability to engage with the world around them."
The inaugural competition was a partnership between Creative Writing and English Education at Longwood, organized with support from the Cook-Cole College of Arts & Sciences and the Department of English & Modern Languages. The contest specifically sought entrants from the following counties: Buckingham, Cumberland, Prince Edward, Charlotte, Nottoway, Lunenburg, Mecklenberg, Halifax, Pittsylvania, Henry, Patrick, Brunswick, Greenesville, Sussex, Southampton. Home-schooled and private school students were also included.
We are impressed by their talent and their courage, and honored that these young writers from our region chose to share their works with us.
Mary Carroll-Hackett, founding contest director, and co-coordinator of Creative Writing Tweet This
Winners in each category received $100. Winners and finalists will also receive certificates of recognition, and along with their teacher/mentors, will be honored at a private reception at Longwood on Friday, April 22.
"This competition is a way for Longwood's Department of English and Modern Languages to support young writers in our region,” said Mary Carroll-Hackett, also a founding contest director, and co-coordinator of Creative Writing at Longwood. “We are impressed by their talent and their courage, and honored that these young writers from our region chose to share their works with us."
The judges, faculty members in the Department of English & Modern Languages selected a winner and two finalists in each category.
Nonfiction
Winner:” La Flor” by Kaylen Doswell, Charlotte County High School
(Teacher/Mentor: Joy Hurt, Governor's School of Southside Virginia)
First Finalist: “Turning Point” by Charles Moore, Greensville County High School
(Teacher/Mentor: Rodney Mills, Greensville County High School)
Second Finalist: “Adoption Through God” by Jacob Jackson, Bear Creek Academy
(Teacher/Mentor: Kourtney Martin, Bear Creek Academy, Cumberland)
Fiction
Fiction winner: “Brains Taste Better As Burritos” by Kristen Caleb, Cumberland County High School
(Teacher/Mentor: Joy Hurt, Governor's School of Southside Virginia)
First Finalist: “Good Behavior, Chance of Desire” by Jazlynn Wade, Prince Edward County High School
(Teacher/Mentor: Carol Pippen, Prince Edward County High School)
Second Finalist: “Hope Is Gone” by Katherine Ellis, Faith Christian Academy
(Teacher/Mentor: Rebekah Nigro, Faith Christian Academy)
Poetry
Winner: “Hope Is Found” by Patricia Murrill by Cumberland County High School
(Teacher/Mentor: Rebecca Haigh, Cumberland County High School)
First Finalist: “Her Hope” by Laural Williams, Randolph Henry High School
(Teacher/Mentor: Joy Hurt, Governor's School of Southside Virginia)
Second Finalist: “My Wish” by Nora Poling, Governor's School of Southside Virginia
(Teacher/Mentor: Leslie Poling, Governor's School of Southside Virginia)
The theme and call for submissions for the 2023 Longwood Young Writers Competition will be announced in Fall 2022.
Leave a Comment