The Alpha Beta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, a professional organization of key women educators, honored their literary contest winners at a ceremony and reception held on May 10 at Peace Lutheran Church in Hartford.
A total of 182 students participated in this year’s competition, with 66 books submitted for judging in Washington County. In third grade, winning first place for “Beauty Queen” was Maya Bechler, and second place for “The Three Stolen Gems and the Three Suspicious Spies” by Sofia Grace Reimche, both from St. John’s Lutheran in West Bend. Winning an illustrator award from Peace Lutheran in Hartford was Claire Senfleben for “Rise Up.”
Fourth grade first place winner as well as an illustrator award for “Terrific Toucans” was Adison Hall from St. John’s Lutheran in West Bend. Second place winner for “Magnificent Journey” was Rocket Donohue from Peace Lutheran in Hartford. Honorable mentions went to “Sky and the Unicorn” by Kendra Ehlers from Peace Lutheran in Hartford, “A Sweet Search” by Ava York from St. John’s Lutheran In West Bend, and “Mystery Kids Magical Mountains, Series #1” by Adrian Qermi from Fair Park Elementary in West Bend.
Tied for first place and winning illustrator awards at the fifth grade level were “Dreaming of Magic” by Allison Pluta of Silverbrook Intermediate School and “Louie’s Purpose” by Karalyn I. Hesse from St. John’s Lutheran, both in West Bend. Pluta also won an honorable mention at the Wisconsin state level judging for both her writing and illustrations. Second place went to “Unidentified Floating Object” by Kate Stephens from Silverbrook Intermediate School in West Bend. Three honorable mentions were given to Norah Paczesny for ”How Lilee Jones Found her Purpose” and for “Stress” by Zoey Ann Jakubowski , both from Silverbrook Intermediate School in West Bend, as well as “Sunset Café” by Hayden Leonard from St. John’s Lutheran in West Bend.
Silverbrook Intermediate swept the sixth grade level. Claiming first place and an illustrator award was Alison Wiedmeyer for “The Adventure of Big Blue”. Wiedmeyer also took second place for her writing at the state level and received a special award for her colored pencil illustrations. Second place and an illustrator award went to “Shrimp Man” by Sydney Spielvogel. An illustrator award as well as an honorable mention went to Colton Markohn for “A Real Life Nightmare”, and Sawana Tillman for “The Unknown”. Chloe Miller received an illustrator award for “Why Volcanoes Erupt”. Additional honorable mentions were received by Cullen Roell for “Abducted” and Graham Jablonski for “Out of Time”.
Seventh grade first place winner and illustrator award was given to “The Creek” by Madeline Hesse from St. John’s Lutheran in West Bend. Hesse also won second place at the state level for her writing and a special award for painting media.
At the eighth grade level, the first place winner and illustrator award for “A Future” went to Kiera Marie Wallace from Central Middle School in Hartford. At the state level Wallace was tied for second place for her writing and tied for first place for her illustrations. An honorable mention for “Alone: Civil War” was given to Benjamin K. Hesse from St. John’s Lutheran in West Bend.
The Mary Jo Nettesheim Memorial Literary Contest is a fiction book writing contest open to Wisconsin students in grades three through twelve. Delta Kappa Gamma chapters from around the state submitted their first place books which were selected from hundreds of entries competing at the local level. All books were judged for their literary and illustration qualities. Student authors of winning entries in this competition received awards including certificates, ribbons, cash and trophies.
The purpose of this competition, which is in its thirty-seventh year, is to encourage young writers and illustrators by giving them an audience for their writing and recognizing and rewarding their creative talents.
Each year contest materials become available to all schools, grade three through twelve, in Washington County in September. Students who would like to show case their writing and illustration abilities should check with their teacher in the fall.
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Local winners of the Delta Kappa Gamma contest are pictured during a May 10 program.
Submitted photo
