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Four LHS students were choosen as county winners.

Lancer Spotlight 2/8/22: Four win county Young Authors Contest

After winning at the school level, Alexis Simmerman, Chloe Little, Lily Hanson, and Amelia Newton all placed in the county level competition for the YAC (Young Author’s Contest).

The Young Author’s Contest is a writing competition headed by the State of Maryland Literacy Association (SOMIRAC), operating at the elementary, secondary, and high school levels.

Students from each school can enter either a short story or a poem for school representatives to judge and then produce second and first place winners for each grade level in each category. Those school level winners are then judged by two teachers from the county, current or retired. Once the judging is complete and the scores are added, a first and second place winners are announced for each category.

This year, LHS did extremely well, producing four of the 16 county winners moving onto the state level competition.

“When I found out I had placed, I was very happy, but surprised a little bit as well–in a good way. I felt accomplished because something that I had submitted with no expectations had gone places I wasn’t expecting it to go!” Little said.

Not only is this a fun competition for the students to participate in, but it’s enjoyable for the judges as well. 

“I like the contest because I am always very impressed with our students’ creativity. We get a wide variety of topics and themes in the entries we receive, and it is great to see students’ perspectives on the joys and challenges that life can bring. We get to read a lot of thoughtful and inspiring work,” Andrew Velnosky, the secondary chair of the middle school contest said.

And the judges aren’t the only ones who enjoy the contest. Teachers love being able to read student’s works. They are always interested to see what kind of writing techniques their students can use and all the creative ways they can use what they have learned.

My favorite part of the Young Author’s Contest is being impressed with the beautiful figurative language students use.  Intentional metaphors and imagery in short stories and similes in poems are so evocative and such fun to read. It’s also really cool when students that are currently in my English classes submit something, and I see a new side to that writer, whether it’s through the insights of their poems or the authentic writer’s voice in their writing,” said school coordinator of the YAC and English teacher Mary Troxel.

Lily Hanson: 1rst place short story

Lily Hanson won first place for her short story “Perpetual.” I feel nothing.  Not emotionally. In fact, I’m feeling many different emotions right now.  Physically, I feel nothing, because I am unable. Now, if someone came over and slapped me, I could feel that. The sting.  But here in space. In the emptiness, or perhaps fullness. I’m weightless.  People describe it as falling endlessly...

Chloe Little: 2nd place poem

Chloe Little won second place for her Poem “World Shakers.” remember those of the past.  honor those whose actions must last.  not just anyone, but  history makers.  risk takers.  world shakers. those who fought with their all  with no fear of a possible fall that they may take.  these history makers  changed the world forever.  and, put into place  that at any time,  or in any sp...

Alexis Simmerman: 2nd Place Short Story

Alexis Simmerman won second place for her short story, “Wrath of a Father.” Akito scowled as the soldiers pushed him along the rocky mountain tops in chains, heading towards the temple separated from the grand city. He’d always known that this day would come the moment he had made his choice to forever leave the mountain to live on the ground. He had accepted the possibility of his capture a...

Amelia Newton: 1rst place short story.

Amelia Newton won first place for her short story "Deserving." Grumbling to himself, David stomped up the steep, wooden steps to his attic. “I don’t know why Seanna couldn’t’ve cleaned the attic,” he muttered. “But noooo, she’s too busy with med school. Stupid Seann-” David coughed, as he inhaled the thick cloud of dust disturbed by the door he had flung open. When the dust settl...

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