Literary Achievement Award Winners Announced, Senior Cassidy Healey Wins Top Prize of $500

Post date: Apr 18, 2014 11:11:33 AM

WELLS─ Literary Achievement Co-Chairperson Maryanne Foley has released the list of this year’s winners of the Literary Achievement Awards, a K-Adult Ed annual creative writing contest in the Wells-Ogunquit CSD. A list of all recipients of this award are now posted on the District’s web site: k12wocsd.net. This contest is now in its 28th year.

The lengthy two-tier judging process ended in late March producing 64 first, second, and third place winners plus honorable mention recipients from the 280 who entered in February.

First place winners include: Ragan Schank (Kindergarten), Molly Tavares (1st), Spencer Carpenter (2nd), Lucy Breton (3rd), Bailey Hayden (4th), Kate Pinette (5th), Tyler Evans (6th), Karissa Kenyon (7th), Megan Schneider (8th), Danielle Jarosz (9th), Talia Auen (10th), Sarah Clawson (11th), and Cassidy Healey (12th).

Students who placed in the contest are invited to receive their prizes and read a portion of their writing before an audience at an awards ceremony to be held May 8th at 6:30 p.m. in the Olenn Auditorium at Wells High School.

Students who enter typically display a wide variety of writing styles and genres including short story, non-fiction and poetry. Many students enter the contest in the lower grades and continue through high school.

“It seems like the best writers at each grade level are placing in the top five every year, only usually in a different order,” commented Foley. “I love to see the growth in the students as they move from the elementary level to the junior high, and on to the high school. The student writing is very impressive.”

The writings are judged at two levels. A large group of in-house judges (teachers and administrators) have the first look at all of the entries. During this stage about half of the entries move forward. These entries are presented to a second panel consisting of ‘community’ judges who make the final selections.

The contest is organized and sponsored by the Wells-Ogunquit Community School District and Rotary Club of Wells. Prizes include $100 for those who place first, $50 for second and $25 for third. Those who receive honorable mention receive a gift certificate to the Steakhouse in Wells courtesy of the Sibleys at the Steakhouse.

The ceremony at WHS on May 8th will be recorded by Literary Achievement Awards Co-Chairperson Reg Bennett and televised at dates to be announced on Time Warner Cable Channel 3 in Wells and Ogunquit.

First place winners include: Ragan Schank (Kindergarten), Molly Tavares (1st), Spencer Carpenter (2nd), Lucy Breton (3rd), Bailey Hayden (4th), Kate Pinette (5th), Tyler Evans