2022 Writing Contest Winners
Congratulations to the 2022 Essay, Short Story and Poetry Contest Winners!
The winning essays, short stories and poems will be published on our website after the 2022 Local Writer’s Showcase. Hear the winning works and meet the writers a this year's Local Writer's Showcase.
Please check out recorded readings by some of the 2020 winners here.

Essay Winners
Dian Seidel, Chevy Chase, MD, 1st Place
Marla Durben Hirsch, Potomac, MD, 2nd Place
Louis Siegel, Rockville, MD, 3rd Place
Emmy Song, Rockville, MD, Honorable Mention
Thu Nguyen, Gaithersburg, MD, Honorable Mention
Jennifer Blanck, Arlington, VA, Honorable Mention
Heather Johnson Reid, Bethesda, MD, Honorable Mention
High School Essay Winners
Ada Fiala, Richard Montgomery HS, 1st Place
Ellie Tinsky, Walt Whitman HS, 2nd Place
Allison Xu, Walter Johnson HS, 3rd Place
Phoebe Lewis, Bethesda Chevy Chase HS, Honorable Mention
Short Story Winners
Elliot Wilner, Bethesda, MD, 1st Place
Sharon Nissim, Silver Spring, MD, 2nd Place
Jackie Jacobson, Rockville, MD, 3rd Place
Eve Cantler, Washington, D.C., Honorable Mention
Kristina Saccone, Silver Spring, MD, Honorable Mention
High School Short Story Winners
Cathryn Russ, Wootton HS, 1st Place
Angelica Frude, Richard Montgomery HS, 2nd Place
Jonah Witte, Montgomery Blair HS, 3rd Place
Mikayla Bellman, Paint Branch HS, Honorable Mention
Camryn Crump, Damascus HS, Honorable Mention
Omotola Fadeyi, Paint Branch HS, Honorable Mention

Poetry Winners
Jaime Banks, Bethesda, MD, 1st Place
Frederick Zirm, Rockville, MD, 2nd Place
Raquel Vazquez, Bethesda, MD, 3rd Place
Akbota Saudabayeva, Bethesda, MD, Honorable Mention
Doug Wilkinson, Takoma Park, MD, Honorable Mention
Jenn Koiter, Washington, D.C., Honorable Mention
High School Poetry Winners
Sophia Hall, Holton Arms HS, Young PoetSam Melton, Rockville HS, Young Poet
Sophia Flyer, Georgetown Day School, Young Poet
Zara Okudo, Wootton HS, Young Poet
Joshua Phillips, Young Poet