PHOTO BY MATT NAGLE

And the winners are: (back row, left to right): Chantelle LaMarr, Hannah McGunagle, Tanya Valculich, Jessica McDonald, Alexis French; (front row, left to right): Bethany Schmick, Charlie Hollis (teacher), Allison Werner, Hailey McIntire.

Winning writers announced at SLMS

By Matt Nagle

There was a writing contest at Surprise Lake Middle School (SLMS) last month that attracted the interest of some very talented sixth- and seventh-graders. With three categories to choose from – poetry, short story and persuasive essay – the contest was open to all SLMS students who felt inspired to put their minds (and pens) to work to craft an entry according to whichever genre best suited their skills and interests.

SLMS language arts and literature teacher Charlie Hollis organized the contest. He said all of the students who stepped up to enter deserve a round of applause. “All of the kids put in a personal effort to get (their entry) in, and it’s the effort that counts,” he said.

An independent panel of five judges made the final decisions on which contestants would win first, second or third place in each category and which

students’ writing deserved honorable mention (see sidebar). “It’s quite an eclectic group of people from all walks of life,” Hollis said. The panel consisted of: Hollis’ wife Tina, a nurse; their daughter Kelsey Hollis, a writer; small business owner Brad Cyrier; Dave Huber, a retired railroad engineer; and Kelly Geisler, parent of student at SLMS.

Hollis said he received about 80 entries altogether. He reduced that number down to a more workable 20 – 10 poems, five persuasive essays and five short stories – then turned the writings over to the judges, who based their choices for the top three winners on their personal reactions. “They were just looking for a good piece of writing…that touched something inside of them,” Hollis explained.

Hailey McIntire won first place in all three categories. McIntire said she writes often and enjoys it very much. Her ideas stem from her own life experiences, as in her winning poem “Lost and Made.”

“I was thinking about what’s going on in my life right now,” she said. “I was having some problems with some friends of mine so I wrote about it.”

Bethany Schick won the Hollis-Barrow Award, named for Hollis and another of Schick’s teachers, Dindria Barrow, for her short story “The Cockapoo and the Prince.” Schick authored a classic tale of two twin dogs, one of royal lineage and one a beggar, that switch places to see “how the other half lives.” Schick wrote a clever ending with a moral about friendship.

All finalists will be awarded with a certificate during the school’s year-end assembly June 12. The winners will receive gift certificates to Barnes & Noble Bookstores. McIntire will also receive gift certificates to Regal Cinemas.

All winning poems, essays and stories will be posted soon on the school’s website, www.fifeschools.com.

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