Young Authors Recognized In County And State Contests

Lily Price is the 2024 Maryland Young Authors’ Contest winner for fifth-grade poetry.

Photo courtesy of J Bergman Photography

Jones Elementary student Lily Price won the fifth-grade poetry portion of the State of Maryland Literacy Association’s Young Authors Contest. She was recognized during a conference in Towson in April.

Photo Provided

Posted Thursday, May 2, 2024 10:25 am

COUNTY WINNERS

BENFIELD ELEMENTARY

Amelia Michel

Second place, grade 2, short story

Emma Ramsey

Second place, grade 5, short story

BROADNECK ELEMENTARY

Morgan Courtney

Second place, grade 1, poetry

Henry Smith

First place, grade 4, poetry

Leah Davis

Second place, grade 5, poetry

FOLGER MCKINSEY ELEMENTARY

Kadia Johnson

Second place, grade 1, short story

MAGOTHY RIVER MIDDLE SCHOOL

Milana Zenke

First place, grade 6, poetry

Mila Viguers

Second place, grade 6, short story

Audrey Fleishman

Second place, grade 7, short story

Ellen McKean

First place, grade 8, short story

SEVERNA PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL

Ava Lewnes

Second place, grade 6, poetry

Laila Bivens

First place, grade 6, short story

Izzy Williamson

Second place, grade 7, poetry

Isaac Shoemaker

First place, grade 7, short story

“Watercolor Sunrise” By Lily Price

The grays and blues and pinks

Combined and swirled

And made the night sky weaken

To let the sun push through

Mingling around the luminous forest

Are little sunbeams

That cast yellow spotlights

Above the shadow-casting trees

The cold breath of wind

Pushed the hair out of my face

And my toes were tickled

By little blades of grass

The flaming ball of fire

Was slowly pulled up to the sky

By the invisible string

Grasping with all its might

To illuminate the things

That we have yet to see

The song of the birds

Calling us to rise

To seize the earth into the morning

The smell of sap

Clinging to the bark

On shady trees

The grays and blues and pinks

The dancing sunbeams

The feel of cold bursts of wind

The slowly rising sun

The morning birdsong

The smells of sap

All make my watercolor sunrise

At a young age, students around Anne Arundel County are realizing the power of the written word.

The State of Maryland Literacy Association (SoMLA) sponsors an annual writing contest, featuring poetry and short stories, for students in grades one through 12. Several Severna Park and Arnold kids participated in the Anne Arundel Young Authors’ Contest, with one writer earning first place in the state competition.

Jones Elementary student Lily Price was honored in early April as the statewide winner for fifth-grade poetry. Her poem was titled “Watercolor Sunrise.”

The avid reader was inspired by nature.

“I think all the books I have read have helped me become a better writer,” Lily said. “I like reading books by Erin Hunter because of the way she talks about nature in such a descriptive way.”

Congratulations to all of the 2024 winners.