Silver Spring Writers Awarded In Bethesda Local Writer's Showcase

Silver Spring MD

24 February, 2022

11:16 AM

Description

SILVER SPRING, MD — Residents of Silver Spring are among more than 30 writers awarded for their work in the the Bethesda's Local Writer's Showcase, a contest created by the Bethesda Urban Partnership. "The Showcase consists of two awards ceremonies and readings, honoring the winners of the annual Bethesda Essay and Short Story Contest, and the Bethesda Poetry Contest," the Bethesda Urban Partnership said in a news release. Sharon Nissim earned second place in the short story category, Kristina Saccone was an honorable mention in the short story category and Jonah Witte of Montgomery Blair High School won third place in the high school short story category. The ceremonies will be March 10 and 11, and will be free and open to the public. The writers' work was judged by award-winning poet Dora Malec, writer Christine Koubek, Director of Creative Writing at George Washington University, and Lisa Page, and author, writing instructor GG Renee Hill, and writers Myna Chang, Carrie Callaghan, Ofelia Montelongo, Will Pittman, Adam Schwartz and Alice Stephens, the Bethesda Urban Partnership said in a news release. More than 450 pieces were submitted to the contest. A total of $4,500 in prize money will be distributed among the winners and all essay and short story winners will be published on Bethesda Magazine's website and the Bethesda Urban Partnership's website. Bethesda Magazine and The Writer's Center are sponsors of the showcase. Here's the full list of winners: Essay Winners Dian Seidel, Chevy Chase, MD, 1st Place Marla Hirsch, Potomac, MD, 2nd Place Louis Siegel, Rockville, MD, 3rd Place Jennifer Blanck, Arlington, VA, Honorable Mention Thu Nguyen, Gaithersburg, MD, Honorable Mention Emmy Song, Rockville, MD, Honorable Mention High School Essay Winners Ada Fiala, Richard Montgomery High School, 1st Place Ellie Tinsky, Walt Whitman High School, 2nd Place Allison Xu, Walter Johnson High School, 3rd Place Phoebe Lewis, Bethesda Chevy Chase High School, Honorable Mention Short Story Winners Elliot Wilner, Bethesda, MD, 1st Place Sharon Nissim, Silver Spring, MD, 2nd Place Jackie Jacobson, Rockville, MD, 3rd Place Eva Cantler, Washington, DC, Honorable Mention Kristina Saccone, Silver Spring, MD, Honorable Mention High School Short Story Winners Cathryn Russ, Wootton High School, 1st Place Angelica Frude, Richard Montgomery High School, 2nd Place Jonah Witte, Montgomery Blair High School, 3rd Place Mikayla Bellman, Paint Branch High School, Honorable Mention Camryn Crump, Damascus High School, Honorable Mention Omotola Fadeyi, Paint Branch High School, Honorable Mention Poetry Winners Jaime Banks, Bethesda MD, 1st Place Frederick Zirm, Rockville, MD, 2nd Place Raquel Vazquez, Bethesda, MD, 3rd Place Akbota Saudabayeva, Bethesda, MD, Honorable Mention Doug Wilkinson, Takoma Park, MD, Honorable Mention Jenn Koiter, Washington, D.C., Honorable Mention High School Poetry Winners Sophia Hall, Holton Arms Sam Melton, Rockville High School Sophia Flyer, Georgetown Day School Zara Okudo, Wootton High School Joshua Phillips, Phillips Academy