KEARNEY – The University of Nebraska at Kearney is recognizing eight high school students selected as winners of the annual Nebraska Emerging Writers and Artists Contest.
In its fourth year, the competition encourages high schoolers from across the state to showcase their creativity by submitting essays, poems, short stories and artwork using a specific theme as inspiration. This year’s theme was “Nebraska Traditions.”
A total of 165 submissions were received, with winners selected by UNK undergraduate students through a blind review process. First-place winners in each category receive a $100 prize and runners-up get $50. The winning students are also invited to present their work during the UNK English Department’s Student Language and Literature Conference.
The Nebraska Emerging Writers and Artists Contest is co-sponsored by the UNK Department of English, American Democracy Project, UNK Writing Center, Phi Eta Sigma freshman honor society, Sigma Tau Delta English honor society and UNK Art Society.
Essay
First place – Delayna Hermesch, Grand Island Northwest, “The Bob Devaney Sports Center: The Home of Traditions”
Second place – Trevor Beavers, Wahoo Public, “A Tradition That Makes Nebraska”
Poetry
First place – Kayla Rupe, Wilcox-Hildreth, “This is Home”
Second place – Mary Beatty, Omaha Marian, “My Favorite One”
Short story
First place – Rita Harr, Omaha Marian, “How I Found My Sister”
Second place – Sydney Hill, Milford, “The Choices We Make”
Art
First place – Cheryl Zeng, Lincoln East, “Through Binoculars”
Second place – Lauren Hills, York, “The Osborne Effect”
