The Friends of Lovejoy Library honored 12 students at its 25th annual High School Writers’ Contest awards banquet Wednesday, April 10 in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Morris University Center.
During the past 25 years, approximately 300 area high school students have received awards in the categories of non-fiction, poetry and fiction. The cash awards, established to promote and recognize excellence in writing in southern Illinois high schools, are provided for first, second and third place.
This year, 15 high schools accounted for 282 entries with Belleville West garnering the most awards (7) under the guidance of English teacher John Lodle.
Timothy Staples, EdD, director of the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion and interim executive director of the SIUE East St. Louis Center, was the featured speaker.
The contest winners were:
Non-fiction
1st Place: Andrew Geiger, Belleville Township High School West – The Olwischen
2nd Place: Sierra Smallie, Granite City Senior High School – The Age You Become a Person
3rd Place: Ayah Hamdan, Belleville Township High School West – Staying Alive
Honorable Mention: Erin Kelley, Belleville Township High School East – An Unopened Gift
Poetry
1st Place: Ryan Stewart, Edwardsville Senior High School – You and Me
2nd Place: Connor Ruesink, Belleville Township High School East – Along the Kucherla
3rd Place: Spencer Runzo, Belleville Township High School West – Here and There
Honorable Mention: Kristin Kurtz, Belleville Township High School West, Poetry Award – Her
Fiction
1st Place: Kia Smidt, Edwardsville Senior High School – Battleship
2nd Place: Sean Kulig, Belleville Township High School West – Lucky Night
3rd Place: Melissa Murphy, Belleville Township High School West – The Most Beautiful Flower
Honorable Mention: Randi Goodwin, Belleville Township High School West – Hurricane
Photo (L-R): Front row – Sierra Smallie, Randi Goodwin, Melissa Murphy, Kia Smidt, Erin Kelley, Kristin Kurtz and Ayah Hamdan.
Back row – Connor Ruesink, Spencer Runzo, Sean Kulig and Ryan Stewart.