AWF GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES THE 2022 HIGH SCHOOL LITERARY ARTS AWARDS JUDGES:

CREATIVE NONFICTION: Frye Gaillard, writer in residence at the University of South Alabama, is the author of more than 30 works of nonfiction. Among his award-winning titles are A Hard Rain: America in the 1960s; Cradle of Freedom: Alabama and the Movement That Changed America; and Watermelon Wine: The Spirit of Country Music. He has written for The Guardian, The Washington Post, The Bitter Southerner, The Oxford American, Parade, and The Journal of American History.

FICTION: Ravi Howard is the author of two novels, Like Trees, Walking and Driving the King. His short fiction has appeared in or is forthcoming in, Salon, Massachusetts Review, Saw Palm, Alabama Noir, and Gulf Coast. His essays have appeared in The New York Times, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Atlanta, and Gravy, and he has recorded commentary for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has received fellowships and awards from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association and the National Endowment for the Arts. He is currently an assistant professor in the creative writing program at Florida State University

POETRY: Jason McCall holds an MFA from the University of Miami. His collections include Two-Face God; Dear Hero, (winner of the 2012 Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize); Silver; I Can Explain; and Mother, Less Child (co-winner of the 2013 Paper Nautilus Vella Chapbook Prize); and A Man Ain’t Nothin’. He and P.J. Williams are the editors of It Was Written: Poetry Inspired by Hip-Hop. He is a native of Montgomery, Alabama, and he teaches at the University of North Alabama.

LITERARY MAGAZINE: Jeanie Thompson is the executive director of the Alabama Writers’ Forum and the founding editor of the Black Warrior Review literary journal at The University of Alabama.

SENIOR PORTFOLIO SCHOLARSHIP: James M. Hilgartner is a Professor of English at Huntingdon College. He has published in a number of literary journals, and has twice been awarded the Fellowship in Literature from the Alabama State Council on the Arts. Since 2015 he has served as Fiction Editor of THAT Literary Review.

CHAIR OF THE HIGH SCHOOL LITERARY ARTS AWARDS JUDGES: Dr. Susie Paul, a longtime resident of Montgomery, taught American literature and writing at Auburn University Montgomery for over 20 years. Now retired, she is a member of the boards of the Alabama Writers’ Forum and Nora’s Playhouse South. Her work has appeared in The Georgia Review, Kalliope, Negative Capability, Earth’s Daughters, The Village Rambler, Alimentum, and other journals. Her poetry collection The Whited Air: Mary Paul in Winter was published in 2021 by Finishing Line Press. Dr. Paul screens the poetry category and believes in the power and promise of young writers.

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

Lucy Gardner, student of Renee Chow, Indian Springs High School, winner of the Marvin Lee Paul and Helen Scott Paul Senior Portfolio Scholarship

Katherine Tanner, student of Brandy Panagos, Bob Jones High School, winner of the Ruth & Jay Ott Senior Portfolio Scholarship

Elloway Wyatt, student of Amy Box, Springville High School, winner of the Mozelle Purvis Shirley Senior Portfolio Scholarship

E. Miller, student of Ashley Jones, Alabama School of Fine Arts, winner of the Wayne Greenhaw Memorial Senior Portfolio Scholarship

LITERARY MAGAZINE COMPETITION WINNERS

Exceptional Literary Content

Cadence (Alabama School of Fine Arts)
Editors: Parker Snellgrove and Grace Sullivan, students of Iris Rinke-Hammer
Prize: $150 to the magazine

Judge’s Special Recognition for Exceptional Literary Content

Harmoniouslee (Lee High School)
Editor: Colby Meeks, student of Michelle Sisson
Prize: $50 to the magazine

Exceptional Graphic Design and Layout

Harmoniouslee (Lee High School)
Editor: Colby Meeks, student of Michelle Sisson
Prize: $150 to the magazine

Judge’s Special Recognition for Exceptional Graphic Design and Layout

Verisimilitude (Gulf Shores High School)
Editor: Molly Malone, student of Jessica Sampley
Prize: $50 to the magazine

CREATIVE NONFICTION LONG ESSAY WINNERS

The Judith Hillman Paterson Award for Excellence in Essay Writing:
Isabella Cox, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts

First Place: First Place: Kalvin Crescenzi, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Second Place: William Bittner, student of Iris Rinke-Hammer, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Third Place: Patrick Smith, student of Jessica Boothe, Loveless Academic Magnet Program

Creative Nonfiction Long Essay Judge’s Special Recognition

Madaha Lewis, student of Iris Rinke-Hammer, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Melany Morgan, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Tania Frias, student of Foster Dickson, Booker T. Washington Magnet School
Stacey Yoo, student of Jessica Boothe, Loveless Academic Magnet Program
Danielle Williams, student of Jessica Boothe, Loveless Academic Magnet Program

Creative Nonfiction Long Essay Certificates of Merit

Daryl Thomas, student of Foster Dickson, Booker T. Washington Magnet School
Marchayla Youngblood, student Foster Dickson, Booker T. Washington Magnet School
Ashelyn Acosta, student of Foster Dickson, Booker T. Washington Magnet School
Jessica Yim, student of Jessica Boothe, Loveless Academic Magnet Program

CREATIVE NONFICTION SHORT ESSAY WINNERS

Cash Award: Hanna Robinson, student of Jessica Boothe, Loveless Academic Magnet School
Cash Award: Anmol Guard, student of Jessica Boothe, Loveless Academic Magnet School
Cash Award: Katherine Tanner, student of Brandy Panagos, Bob Jones High School
Cash Award: Haley Pate, student of Iris Rinke-Hammer, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Cash Award: Anna Thornton, student of Amy Box, Springville High School
Cash Award: Kathleen Doyle, student of Jessica Boothe, Loveless Academic Magnet School
Cash Award: Kathleen Druhan, student of Jessica Boothe, Loveless Academic Magnet School

Creative Nonfiction Judge’s Special Recognition

Rylie Smith, student of Jessica Boothe, Loveless Academic Magnet School
Emily Duong, student of Brandy Panagos, Bob Jones High School
Kyra Richardson, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts
E. Miller, student of Ashley Jones, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Lucy Gardner, student of Renee Chow Boothe, Indian Springs School
Nicholas Dandy, student of Jon Carter, Restoration Academy
Rasheed Walker, student of Jon Carter, Restoration Academy

FICTION WINNERS

First Place: Whitney Veazey, student of Naomi Pryer, Greenville High School
Second Place: Kate Ulrich, student of Foster Dickson, Booker T. Washington Magnet
Third Place: William Bittner, student of Iris Rinke-Hammer, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Fiction Judge’s Special Recognition

Isabella Cox, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Kevin Cristino, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Lucy Gardner, student of Renee Chow, Indian Springs School
Bella Herring, student of Hannah Pressley, Briarwood Christian School
Adrianne Lin, student of Scott Richburg, The Montgomery Academy
Natalie Wingo, student of Christy Ader, Cleburne County High School
Tamrah McMullen, student of Jon Carter, Restoration Academy
Madison Hoar, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Jacob Franklin, student of Stacey Blakemore, Oak Mountain High School
Brandon Smith, student of Brandy Panagos, Bob Jones High School
Kaylee Wood, student of Hannah Pressley, Briarwood Christian School
Ashley Bloemetjie, student of Michelle Sisson, Lee High School
Atticus Hill, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Meaghan Tucker, student of Amy Box, Springville High School

Fiction Certificates of Merit

Asher Childers, student of Denise Trimm, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate
Daisy Ramos, student of Denise Trimm, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate
Caroline Gohn, student of Denise Trimm, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate
Mya Richardson, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Katherine Tanner, student of Brandy Panagos, Bob Jones High School
Jaquelyne Manriquez, student of Connie Nolen, Pelham High School
Connor Lamb, student of Hannah Pressley, Briarwood Christian School
Jalaiya Gilmore, student of Foster Dickson, Booker T. Washington Magnet School
Kailin Barch, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Makayla Montgomery, student of Amy Box, Springville High School
Leslie Vazquez, student of Connie Nolen, Pelham High School
Gabriela Constanza, student of Connie Nolen, Pelham High School
Bella Herring, student of Hannah Pressley, Briarwood Christian School

POETRY WINNERS

First Place: Amy Athing, student of Brandy Panagos, Bob Jones High School
Second Place: Jillian Naylor, student of Michelle Sisson, Lee High School
Third Place: William Bittner, student of Iris Rinke-Hammer, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Poetry Judge’s Special Recognition

Ari’yuana Dedrick, student of Jon Carter, Restoration Academy
A.L., student of Marlin Barton, Lurleen B. Wallace School
C.M., student of Marlin Barton, Lurleen B. Wallace School
Avianna Aguilar, student of Connie Nolen, Pelham High School
Kalvin Crescenzi, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Haley Pate, student of Iris Rinke-Hammer, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Eden Sciacca, student of Jon Carter, Restoration Academy
Patrick Smith, student of Jessica Boothe, Loveless Magnet Academic Program
J.C., student of Daniel DeVaughn, Adele Goodwyn McNeel School
Maria Matias, student of Connie Nolen, Pelham High School

Poetry Certificates of Merit

Goodman Murphy-Smith, student of Iris Rinke-Hammer, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Madaha Lewis, student of Iris Rinke-Hammer, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Pia Jung, student of Jessica Boothe, Loveless Magnet Academic Program
Clea Collins, student of Connie Nolen, Pelham High School
Emma Callander, student of Connie Nolen, Pelham High School
Lucy Gardner, student of Renee Chow, Indian Springs School
Annikah Mishra, student of Denise Trimm, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate
Katherine Tanner, student of Brandy Panagos, Bob Jones High School
J.C., student of Daniel DeVaughn, Adele Goodwyn McNeel School
S.M., student of Daniel DeVaughn, Adele Goodwyn McNeel School
Madison Hoar, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts
J.S., student of Daniel DeVaughn, Adele Goodwyn McNeel School
D.B., student of Marlin Barton, Lurleen B. Wallace School
Karmann Houston, student of Eleanor Baker, St. Paul’s Episcopal School
Kailan Stoves, student of Kimberly Green, Ramsay IB High School