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Theme: Nature Plays a Role: Writing Poetry from Children's Books

• 1st Place: An Autobiography in Four Parts by Samantha Stahlhut
• 2nd Place: Nature’s Reflection by Viviana Moreno
• 3rd Place: The Lorax Sells Out! By Brian Vogt
• Staff Pick: “Can you hear the music?” by Rita Zhou-Wang

Theme: Environmental Justice Stories Drawn From Art

• 1st Place: “An Ode to the Oak” by Rhese Voisard
• 2nd Place: “Atlases” by Olive Abram
• 3rd Place: “Flying Elephant” by Olivia Voekler
• Staff Pick: “Hitchhiker” by Lorna Wodzak

Theme: Golden Shovel

ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú student writers submitted a piece of writing inspired by works found in the University Libraries archives!

1st Prize: “Untited” by Claire Hampton

2nd Prize: “Reflection” by Adeline Roux

3rd Prize: “Becoming You” by Anna Boyer

Staff Choice: “To Know” by Julia Quigley

Theme: Taboo

ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú student writers submitted a piece of writing evoking autumn, but with a catch: they could not use certain words often associated with the season!

1st Prize: “Demeter in 5 Stages (Acceptance)” by Anna Boyer

2nd Prize: “The Radiator” by Caroline Laird

3rd Prize: “The Editor and The Poet” by Jessica Miller

Staff Choice: “Drifting through the Grove” by Jacob Bitonte

Theme: Luck + Chance

ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú student writers submitted a piece of creative non-fiction when luck or chance played a role in their lives. 

First Prize: Meredith Perkins, Clovers

Second Prize: Sophia Rakic, Tablić

Third Prize: Olivia Kelly, Canip and Pain

Staff Choice: JoAnn Su, Doubt and Recovery/From The Other Side

Theme: Colors

ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú writers explored through poetry the multiple ways colors intersect with their lives.

First Prize: Olivia Triance, Seasonal Affective Disorder

Second Prize and Staff Choice: Catarina Palmer, Protoanomaly

Third Prize: Ashlee Flora, The Color I Once Assigned to You 

Theme: Photo Flash Fiction

ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú student writers submitted a piece of fiction where they used their pen as a camera to give us a slice of life, a flash of fancy, a moment of misery, or an instance of insight based upon one of several provided photos. 

First Prize: Em UpDyke, The Family Flowerbed

Second Prize: Sam Fouts, Howling Bones

Third Prize: Dalanie Beach, Liminal Space

Staff Choice: Valerie Senkowski, Dramamine

Honorable Mention: Charles Xie, Travelers

Theme: Hope and Rebirth

ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú student writers submitted poetry that reflected on what “Hope and Rebirth” meant to them, especially in that current moment, amid COVID-19 during Spring semester.

First prize: Paige Hartenburg, "Flowers for Lily" 

Second prize: Sarah Zimmerman, "When Fears are Validated, Progress Halts"

Staff choice: Alfredo Ascanio, "I Crossed a Bridge"

Theme: Here and Now

ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú student writers submitted creative nonfiction pieces that considered how issues of tolerance, inclusion, antiracism, social inequality, or COVID-19 have impacted them personally.

Co-first prize: Aiyana White, (untitled)

Co-first prize: Ethan Maguire, "These Walls"

Second prize: Gabe Porter, "Sanitize"

Staff choice: Lauren Racela, (untitled)

Theme: What We Leave Behind: Sustainability and Disposability

ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú student writers submitted poems about environmental impact, sustainability, and "what we leave behind" both materially and personally.

First prize: Alexander Benedict, "anthem for uneaten candycanes" and "American Doll"

Second prize: Brianna Porter, "They Told Me The World Was Dying"

Honorable mention: Hannah Stohry, "The Sorting Process"

Theme: Change of Seasons

ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú student writers submitted fiction, nonfiction, and poetry focused on how we experience the world around us when the seasons change, and also on how people, relationships, and cultures change, too.

First prize: T. Mesnick, "Pumpkin Patch"

Second prize: Alexander Benedict, "Fall as an Unsure Haircut"