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Photos by Sydney Cromwell.
Berry Middle poetry contest first- through third-place finishers.
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Photos by Sydney Cromwell.
ASFA Young Literary Award third-place winners Maggie Cargill and Kate Clifford.
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Photos by Sydney Cromwell.
Berry Middle poetry contest first- through third-place finishers.
Berry Middle School honored several of its talented artists and writers April 19 as the results of state and schoolwide competitions were announced.
Sixth-graders Maggie Cargill and Kate Clifford both earned third-place awards in the Alabama School of Fine Arts’ Young Writers Literary Awards. Cargill placed for a poem about optimism and multiculturalism during the 2016 presidential election. Clifford’s award was for a short story about a boy who tries to save a doughnut shop and doughnuts around the nation from a future where they’ve been made illegal.
“This is just like heaven,” Cargill said after the announcement of her third-place finish.
Both students, who are part of the school’s literary magazine, were surprised with the news their work had been selected. The ASFA contest receives submissions from across the state. Berry curriculum and literary coach Dianna Minor said this is the first time a Berry student has received an award in this competition in several years.
“They’re just natural writers,” Minor said.
The results of Berry’s spring art and poetry contest were also announced. Art students made banners to celebrate the winners during a short ceremony in the library.
Sixth-grader Miriam Gunnells placed first in the art contest for a piece she said was inspired by winter turning into spring. Seventh-grader Konnor Carrie placed second, and sixth-grader Thinal Kottege and seventh-grader Lydia Farris tied for third.
“I was thinking about what my mom’s reaction would be,” Gunnells said.
Selma Maric, Nicole Lober, Emma Peng, Adie Carter and Maisha Mahdia received honorable mentions.
In the poetry contest, seventh-graders filled the top spots. Sam Carey won for his poem, “This is War,” based on World War I. Audrey Rothman’s “Inside Her Head” and Camille Chase’s “It’s Time to Change the World” tied for second, and Thomas Mayhall’s “The Parade” placed third.
The students said they didn’t know they had placed until the morning announcements, and Mayhall and Rothman didn’t even know their teachers had entered their work. Chase took home a second-place award last year as well.
“It was pretty cool,” Rothman said.
Chloe Hill, Grace Lazarre, Samantha Johnson, Maggie Cargill and Jahnia Blain received honorable mentions.