AWF gratefully acknowledges the 2024 High School Literary Arts Awards Judges:

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.

Literary Magazine: James M. Hilgartner 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 (now Thirteen Bridges Review www.thirteenbridgesreview.com). He retired as Professor of English at Huntingdon College in 2023.

Creative Nonfiction: Richard K. Evans is the Executive Director of the Alabama Writers’ Forum and the author of MOVE: An American Religion (Oxford University Press, 2020). He holds a PhD in History from Temple University.

Fiction: Kent Quaney is the author of the award-winning novel, One Breath from Drowning (University of Wisconsin Press, 2022). His short fiction has appeared in Literally Stories, Rum Punch Press, Chelsea Station, riverSedge and Polari, among other journals. He studied creative writing at the University of Sydney and the University of Southern Mississippi and is currently Assistant Professor and Creative Writing Coordinator at Auburn University at Montgomery and Editor of Thirteen Bridges Review www.thirteenbridgesreview.com.

Poetry: Sue Brannon Walker (M.Ed. MA, Ph.D, Tulane University) is Professor Emerita at the University of South Alabama where she taught for 35 years. She is a former Poet Laureate of Alabama and the author of 20 books. In March 2024 was inducted into the University of Alabama College of Education Hall of Fame. She has published hundreds of poems and articles. She currently teaches a creative writing class at the Mobile Botanical Gardens in Mobile and is the editor and publisher of Negative Capability Press.

Poetry: Kathleen (Kate) Duthu teaches AWF’s Writing Our Stories program to boys and girls at the juvenile detention center in Mobile County. She is a former criminal prosecutor and family law attorney and has a M.A. in English with a concentration in creative writing from the University of South Alabama. She is also a former editor at Negative Capability Press. Her poetry has won recent awards from the Alabama State Poetry Society and Alabama Writers’ Cooperative and has been published in The Oracle and Emerald Coast Review.

Senior Portfolio Scholarship: Donna Estill is Dean of Humanities & Social Sciences at Calhoun Community College. Estill has taught writing and literature to several generations of students in Arkansas, Kansas, and Alabama. She served as the Director and Assistant Director of the Alabama Center for Literary Arts in Monroeville, organized the Alabama Writers Symposium, and served as Humanities Advisor for the Symposium. She serves on the board of the Alabama Writers’ Forum.

---

SENIOR SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

Daryl Thomas, student of Ken Spear, Booker T. Washington Magnet High School, winner of the Ruth & Jay Ott Senior Portfolio Scholarship

Kyra Richardson, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts, winner of the Mozelle Purvis Shirley Senior Portfolio Scholarship

Madison Hoar, student of Iris Rinke-Hammer, Alabama School of Fine Arts, winner of the Joseph David Trimble II Senior Portfolio Scholarship

Mya Richardson, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts, winner of the Wayne Greenhaw Memorial Senior Portfolio Scholarship

Diego Romero-Cardona, student of April Sport, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate, winner of the Marvin Lee Paul and Helen Scott Paul Senior Portfolio Scholarship

---

LITERARY MAGAZINE COMPETITION WINNERS

Winner: Exceptional Literary Content

Cadence (Alabama School of Fine Arts)

Editors: Izzy Cox and Will Bitner, students of Iris Rinke-Hammer

Judge’s Special Recognition: Literary Content

Silhouette (Sparkman High School)

Editors: Annaliese Burton and Sullivan Treadwell, students of Renee Quaife

Judge’s Special Recognition: Certificate of Literary Merit

The Muse (The Montgomery Academy)

Editor: Mere Morrison, student of Virginia Beale

Winner: Exceptional Graphic Design and Layout

Silhouette (Sparkman High School)

Editors: Annaliese Burton and Sullivan Treadwell, students of Renee Quaife

Judge’s Special Recognition: Graphic Design and Layout

Ingenium (McGill-Toolen Catholic High School)

Editor: Andy Anderson, student of Camille Johnston

Literary Magazine Certificates of Merit

Counterpane Literary Arts Magazine (Jefferson County International Baccalaureate)

Editors: Cole Wright and Saniya Singh, students of April Sport

Graphophobia (Booker T. Washington Magnet School)

Editor: Daryl Thomas Jr., student of Ken Spear

The Sheet (Auburn High School)

Editor: Avery Scifres, student of Carley Muschara

---

CREATIVE NONFICTION LONG ESSAY WINNERS

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

First Place: Jackson Cooke, student of Hannah Pressley, Briarwood Christian School

Second Place: Lily Tao, student of Davis Thompson, Auburn High School

Third Place: David Jarvis, student of Kathleen Travis, Pelham High School

Creative Nonfiction Long Essay Judge’s Special Recognition

Marielle Vientos, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Nola Crumpton, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts

---

CREATIVE NONFICTION SHORT ESSAY WINNERS

Creative Nonfiction Short Essay

First Place: Brenna Vickery, student of Kathleen Travis, Pelham High School

Second Place: Madison Thompson, student of Ken Spear, Booker T. Washington Magnet High School

Third Place: Avi Goldberg, student of Mazerick Betko, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Creative Nonfiction Short Essay Judge’s Special Recognition

Bella Grant, student of Amy Marchino, Homewood High School

Kenley Wheeler, student of Kathleen Travis, Pelham High School

Celeste Shurtz, student of Brandy Panagos, Bob Jones High School

---

FICTION WINNERS

First Place: Nola Crumpton, student of TJ Bietelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Second Place: Adrianne Lin, student of Scott Richburg, The Montgomery Academy

Third Place: Camille Beatty, student of Hannah Pressley, Briarwood Christian School

Fiction Judge’s Special Recognition

Olivia Chang, student of Hannah Pressley, Briarwood Christian School

Abigail Dickinson, student of Hannah Pressley, Briarwood Christian School

Courtney Towery, student of Hannah Pressley, Briarwood Christian School

Sam Mixon, student of Hannah Pressley, Briarwood Christian School

Lily Wilson, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Ezra Clingan, student of Mazerick Betko, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Betelihem Slocum, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Harris Murphree, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Samantha Copeland, student of Michelle Sisson, Lee High School

David Jarvis, student of Kathleen Travis, Pelham High School

Sammie Poarch, student of April Sport, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate

Fiction Certificates of Merit

Rachel Vickery, student of Hannah Pressley, Briarwood Christian School

Bella Herring, student of Dawn Sumerford, Briarwood Christian School

Isabella Rutledge, student of Hannah Pressley, Briarwood Christian School

Timothy Johnson, student of April Sport, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate

Ollie Caillier, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Daryl Thomas, student of Ken Spear, Booker T. Washington Magnet High School

Cypress Bryce, student of Brandy Panagos, Bob Jones High School

Celeste Shurtz, student of Brandy Panagos, Bob Jones High School

Shea Hayes, student of Brandy Panagos, Bob Jones High School

Belle Autio, student of Eleanor Baker, St. Paul’s Episcopal School

---

POETRY WINNERS

First Place: Lily Wilson, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Second Place: Scarlett Whitaker, student of Amy Marchino, Homewood High School

Third Place: Ollie Caillier, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Poetry Judge’s Special Recognition

Ma’eva Fortson, student of Amy Marchino, Homewood High School

Kailan Stoves, student of Kimberly Green, Ramsay High School

Avi Goldberg, student of Mazerick Betko, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Gwilym Lloyd, student of Michelle Hopf, Auburn High School

Ash Pierce, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Samantha Turner, student of April Sport, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate

Darianne Ewing, student of Michelle Sisson, Lee High School

Allison Anderson, student of Hannah Pressley, Briarwood Christian School

Luke Long, student of Hannah Pressley, Briarwood Christian School

T.W., student of Marlin Barton, Lurleen B. Wallace School

Poetry Certificates of Merit

Eden Davidson, student of Jon Carter, Restoration Academy

Cypress Bryce, student of Brandy Panagos, Bob Jones High School

Joan Mathew, student of Ken Spear, Booker T. Washington Magnet High School

Christina Woods, student of Amy Marchino, Homewood High School

Becca Bynum, student of April Sport, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate

Ollie Caillier, student of TJ Beitelman, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Faith Bonner, student of April Sport, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate

Anita Duncan, student of Claudette Tennant, Opelika High School

Doyeon Kim, student of Adam Byrd, Auburn High School

Kobe Menifee, student of April Sport, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate

Ensley Dunn, student of Michelle Sisson, Lee High school

Samantha Copeland, student of Michelle Sisson, Lee High School

Sidney Spear, student of Scott Richburg, The Montgomery Academy

Allison Anderson, student of Hannah Pressley, Briarwood Christian School

Katie Headrick, student of Hannah Pressley, Briarwood Christian School

Violet Marty, student of Iris Rinke-Hammer, Alabama School of Fine Arts

B.W., student of Marlin Barton, Lurleen B. Wallace School

N.R., student of Marlin Barton, Lurleen B. Wallace School

Lily Tao, student of Michelle Hopf, Auburn High School