Student Literary Competition 2002 - 2003

National Student Literary Competition Winners Announced

The winners of the 2002-2003 Student Literary Competition, hosted by Sinclair Community College and coordinated by Timothy Waggoner, were recently announced. The First Place awards were presented to Robert Ashton, Seattle Community College District, for his drama piece titled "The Truck", Roshini Joseph, Foothill-De Anza Community College District, for the short story “Tulsi’s Arrival,” Jim Brooks, Sinclair Community College College, for his poem titled “Dante in the Land of the Midnight Sun,” and Allyson Miller, Cuyahoga Community College, for her essay “To Be.”

The Second Place awards were won by Lionel de Maine, Foothill-De Anza Community College District, for the drama piece “Jongue,” Christopher Chester, Monroe Community College, for a short story titled “Marooned,” Danielle Burhop, Seattle Community College District, for her poem titled “Socrates,” and Bob Hammond, Humber College of Applied Arts and Technology, for his essay titled “The Jilted Guy’s Lair.”

The Third Place awards were given to Alton L. Kolpien, Dallas County Community College District, for his drama piece titled “Dallas Ordinary Time,” Teri Piatt, Sinclair Community College for her short story titled “The Victim,” Matthias Neeracher, Foothill-De Anza Community College District, for his poem titled “Mountains,” and Wade Davies, Seattle Community College District for his essay “My Family Reflections.”

Honorable mention was given to Matthew Bell, Delta College, for his drama piece titled “Little Help,” Daniel Koob Meej Vang, Central Piedmont Community College for his short story titled “Summer Nights in Maine,” Jamie Lynn Riley, St. Louis Community College District for her short story title “The Trek,” John McKendrick, North Lake College for his short story titled “Belonging,” Anne Morley, Monroe Community College for her essay titled “The Back Room,” Noelle K. Spengler, Leeward Community College for her essay titled “The Value of Life,” Christopher M. Williams, Delta College for his essay titled “The Letter,” and Doris Lockhart, Dallas County Community College District for her essay titled “The Prayer.”

Under the leadership of Sinclair Community College, the competition included over 50 literary works from League colleges. A catalog of all entries is currently being produced by Sinclair and will be mailed to all League members this fall.

The jurors for this year’s Student Literary Competition were Norma Jenckes (One-Act Play), Lee K. Abbott (Short Story), Richard Howard (Poetry) and Ralph Keyes (Personal Essay). Each of the judges has published works and won awards for their literary pieces.

Lee K. Abbott has had many short stories and his reviews appear in such journals and magazines as Harper’s, The Atlantic Monthly, The Georgia Review, and The New York Times Book Review. He has twice won fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts. Richard Howard has authored eleven volumes of poetry, including Untitled Subjects, for which he received the Pulitzer Prize. Norma Jenckes serves as the director of the Helen Weinberger Center for the Study of Drama and Playwriting, and edits the journal American Drama. Ralph Keyes is the author of numerous books, including The Wit and Wisdom of Oscar Wilde and Chancing It. He has also appeared on various television programs including Oprah Winfrey, 20/20, and the Today Show.

The 2003-2004 competition will be hosted by the Seattle Community College District and coordinated by Judy Bentley.