Literary Achievement contest winners and ceremony date announced

Post date: Apr 12, 2017 11:36:24 AM

On Thursday, April 27th, at 6:30 p.m., the Wells-Ogunquit Community School District will present the 31st Annual Literary Achievement Awards ceremony on stage in the new Wells High School Performing Arts Center. This event will recognize 66 students who placed in this creative writing contest for 2017.

Fourteen ‘first place’ winners from grades kindergarten through Adult Community Education (ACE) will read all or a portion of their short stories and poems to the audience. At this time, prizes will be awarded including the prize of $500 to WHS senior Madison Morin for her poem, Reflecting Hope.

First place winners include Robert Roche (Kindergarten), Carolyn Nichols (1st gr.), Francesca MacEwen (Gr. 2), Aiden Lear (Gr. 3.), Angelina Demarco (Gr 4), Zachary Smith (Gr. 5), Alivia Boucher (Gr. 6), Kara Borkowski (Gr. 7), Kathryn Cafaro (Gr. 8), Felicia DesJardins (Gr. 9), Katherine Reidy (Gr 10), Estelle Reardon (Gr. 11), Madison Morin (Gr. 12) and Tam Tran (ACE).

The Literary Achievement Awards contest was established in 1986. The program is sponsored by the Wells-Ogunquit CSD, the Rotary Clubs of Wells and Ogunquit and the Steakhouse in Wells.

The contest and ceremony is an annual event that encourages, recognizes and rewards outstanding creative writing at all grade levels. In 2017, 236 students submitted various forms of writing including poetry, non-fiction, and fiction. All entries were judged anonymously at two levels—district staff and a community panel. The top winner at each grade level (with the exception of 12th grade) will receive $100. Second place winners will receive $50 and third place winners will receive $25. Honorable mentions will receive $10 gift certificates to the Steakhouse in Wells.

From left to right are this year’s community judges for the 2017 Literary Achievement Awards: Donna Thompson, Brittany Maffei, Ina Toth, John Madden, Josh Lagasse, Jody Demmons, Jack Ford and (sitting in the center) Diana Abbott