Connecticut Young Writers

The Connecticut Young Writers Competition for high school students is designed to encourage young writers and poets in Connecticut. Now in its 13th year, the competition provides young poets and writers in each of Connecticut's eight counties an opportunity to win cash prizes, and proceed to represent their county in a statewide competition.

2010 Winners
Photos
In the News

2010 Winners

County Champions

Poetry Champions

Julia Albano, 18, of Danbury High School, for the poem "Red In The Shade Of Salsa Diane"
Grace Beggins, 17, of The Williams School, for the poem "Cloud Gazing"
Carter Brown, 18, of Litchfield High School, for the poem "ICARI"
Josh Bryer, 17, of Kilingly High School, for the poem "A Number of Thoughts"
Olivia DelGiudice, 17, of Old Saybrook High School, for the poem "Recovery"
Morgan Finn, 16, of Bristol Central HS, for the poem "Where I Come From"
Mary Margaret Meehan, 17, of Westover School, for the poem "Equine"
Timothy West, 18, of Rockville High School, for the poem "In Homage To M.C. Escher"

Prose Champions

Zeena Advani, 17, of Westhill High School, for the story "Universal Rhythms"
Claire Burch, 16, of New Milford High School, for the story "The Neighborhood"
Gloria Creamer, 16, of Montville High School, for the story "Old Glory"
Sheldon Gaskell, 16, of Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, for the story "Kineo"
Kyle Kneeland, 17, of Rockville High School, for the story "Colors Of A Dream"
Chelsea Melanson, 17, of The Morgan School, for the story "Come Home"
Anna Nassiff, 18, of Arts at The Capitol Theater, for the story "Mrs. Warren In Color"
Noah Perito, 15, of Branford High School, for the story "Dead Card Players Tell No Tales"

Students from Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts and The Williams School of New London were awarded the top statewide prizes in prose and poetry on Thursday, June 3 in the 13th annual Connecticut Young Writers competition, a project of the Connecticut State University System and the Connecticut Young Writers Trust.

Sheldon Gaskell, 16, of Suffield, won for his story, "Kineo." Grace Beggins, 17, of Guilford, took home the poetry prize for her poem, "Cloud Gazing."

At the annual awards dinner at the Hartford Club, both students received $1,000 for their efforts. They also were awarded $500 in April after being named county champions. The winning entries may also be published in Connecticut Review, the literary journal of the Connecticut State University System.

The awards dinner featured keynote speakers Robert Leuci, a novelist and professor at the University of Rhode Island who served with the New York Police Department as an undercover narcotics detective; and Lauren Hefferon, the 2003 State Prose Champion, Yale Class of 2010. Hefferon is training this summer with Teach for America, an arm of AmeriCorps that sends graduates into the inner cities to teach high school students.

The ceremony included two live bands, the Bridgeport-based Latin rock band Cosmic Jibaros along with the Jen Allen Big Band. About 130 guests attended.

This year saw 795 teenagers compete, the highest in the Connecticut Young Writers Competition history. The previous record was 647 in 2000. The program has given nearly $200,000 to teenagers since 1998. More than 6,000 students have competed. County award ceremonies are held in April at Central, Eastern, Southern and Western Connecticut State Universities, with the county winners eligible for the statewide award.

The Connecticut Network, CT-N, taped the event for broadcast to be scheduled later this month. Diane Smith, the author, TV-radio newswoman and board member of the Connecticut Young Writers Trust, served as Master of Ceremonies.