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2023 Writing Contest Winners

Congratulations to the 2023 Essay, Short Story and Poetry Contest Winners!  

The winning essays, short stories and poems will be published on our website after the 2023 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.

LWS

Essay Winners

Cecilia Ferrara, Rockville, MD, 1st Place
Krysten Jenci, Chevy Chase, MD, 2nd Place
Elizabeth Minihan, Woodbridge, MD, 3rd Place
Tina M MWP, Rockville, MD, Honorable Mention
Carol Solomon, Montgomery Village, MD, Honorable Mention
Thu Nguyen, Gaithersburg, MD, Honorable Mention

High School Essay Winners

Emily Rivera, Albert Einstein HS, 1st Place
Kiersten McClure, Bethesda-Chevy Chase HS, 2nd Place
Luna Nash, Bethesda-Chevy Chase HS, 3rd Place
Allison Xu, Walter Johnson HS, Honorable Mention
Winnie Chan, Benjamin Banneker Academic HS, Honorable Mention
Sophia Hal, Holton Arms School, Honorable Mention
 

Short Story Winners

Eve Cantler, Washington D.C., 1st Place
Caroline E. Wellbery, Bethesda, MD, 2nd Place
Elisabeth Schmeissner, Bethesda, MD, 3rd Place
Perry Beamer, Takoma Park, MD, Honorable Mention
Susie Chen, Potomac, MD, Honorable Mention
Brandyn Pantano, Gaithersburg, MD, Honorable Mention

High School Short Story Winners

Claire Buchanan, Holton-Arms School, 1st Place
Allison Xu, Walter Johnson HS, 2nd Place
Meredith Abramson, Poolesville HS, 3rd Place
Olov Berg, Winston Churchill HS
Sophia Hall, Holton-Arms School
Dena Shao, Thomas S. Wootton HS
 

LWSpoetry

 
Poetry Winners

Margaret Flaherty, Takoma Park, MD, 1st Place
D Mitra, Washington D.C., 2nd Place
Redhika Tyagi, Bethesda, MD, 3rd Place
Mary K O'Melveny, Washington D.C., Honorable Mention
Claire McGoff, Silver Spring, MD, Honorable Mention
Angelin Donohue, Gaithersburg, MD, Honorable Mention
 

High School Poetry Winners

Ganeev Kaur, Thomas S. Wootton HS
Cody Herwald, Walter Johnson HS
Paavani Lal Das, Richard Montgomery HS
Mia Koppel, Richard Montgomery HS
Chelsea Zhu, Richard Montgomery HS
Allison Xu, Walter Johnson HS
Kelly Ren, Thomas S. Wootton HS