Southeast Missouri Writing Achievement Awards Program Honors 25 Young Authors

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., April 27, 2009 -- Twenty-five of the best young writers from among 75 schools in Southeast Missouri and the St. Louis metropolitan area were honored April 25 at the 28th annual Southeast Missouri Writing Achievement Awards program. 

The ceremony was held at the University Center on the Southeast Missouri State University campus.

The program began in 1982 by the University’s Department of English, which sponsors the annual program to encourage students in grades four through 12 in their writing.

This year’s ceremony followed a presentation by Kara Bollinger, former Writing Achievement Award participant and graduate of Truman State University. She discussed her experience and transition as a young writer into someone who works helping other writers. She will be attending the University of Kansas in the fall and will be working towards a master of arts degree in rhetoric and composition.

The winning entries, judged by a team of Southeast Missouri State University English faculty, represent some of the best young writers in the state. At the ceremony, first-place awards and honorable-mention awards were presented to writers of fiction, essays, and poetry in three grade ranges: 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. The winning entries were published in booklet form and presented to the winners and their schools. All winners also received special T-shirts and certificates of achievement.

For more information on the awards, contact Dr. Karen Carcia, assistant professor of English at Southeast, at 651-2618.