The overall winner was Lyla Cruz of Munster High School for her short story, "Of Suffering and Sacrifice"
The English Department at Indiana University Northwest will recognize high school writers throughout Northwest Indiana for their creative work in an online reading on Tuesday, April 25.
The Department annually recognizes student writing in a contest, which is in its third year. The contest invites submissions in poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction.
The overall winner this year, Lyla Cruz of Munster High School, has been offered a $500 scholarship award in recognition of her short story, “Of Suffering and Sacrifice.”
Runners-up in short fiction included:
- “Why Not Me?” by Jada Parks (Lake Central HS)
- “Back at Moe’s” by Kayley Moore (Munster HS)
- “Indescribable” by Nadia Ornelas (Munster HS)
The winning poem, “A ROCK (split in two),” was submitted by Paola Domingue, also of Munster High School.
Runners-up in poetry included:
- "Social Anxiety” by Jersey Hinten (Valparaiso HS)
- “Weed, Water, Water, Weed” by Fiona Martin (Chesterton HS)
- “to die is not to no longer live” by Naomi Smith (Portage HS)
- "The Cafeteria War” by Tenia Dres (Wheeler HS)
In creative nonfiction, the selected essay was by Iris Pepin of Valparaiso High School.
Runners-up in creative nonfiction included:
- “Gratitude” by Simon Nirenberg (Munster HS)
- “Give me a Break” by Laila Collard (Munster HS)
- "My Brother Mick” by Will Nowarita (Valparaiso HS)
The reading by high school writers culminates a week that celebrates the year’s work by student-writers in the Region. On Wednesday night, April 19, the Dunes Literary Series celebrated IU Northwest creative writers in an on-campus reading of poetry and flash fictions.
Throughout this year, IU Northwest students have written in a variety of creative courses, including creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, screenwriting and web-based writing. In its third year, the Dunes Literary Series gives students the opportunity to engage with internationally recognized writers, including regional writers and translators. The series concludes the academic year with an online reading by Filipino-American poet and critic Eileen Tabios along with Italian artist and poet Serena Piccoli Wednesday, May 24, at 6:30 p.m.
