Homer Alaska - Arts

HCOA director Gail Edgerly said the judges praised the entries. Local judges selected top-10 entries for the group of judges, all Alaskans living outside the Kenai Peninsula. The contest had 268 total entries in poetry, nonfiction and fiction categories from groups from kindergarten to adult.

"Every one of the judges made a comment that they were very impressed with what they read," Edgerly said.

First-place winners will read from their works at 7 p.m. March 2 at the Homer Council on the Arts. A benefit concert by Robin Hopper follows.

The first-place winners also will be published on the HCOA website at www.homerart.org.

Edgerly said she was glad to see the arts council continue the contest.

"It's a wonderful thing to keep doing, especially as everything gets so electronic," she said. "It's just such an important way to support the literary arts."

Winners, 20th annual Kenai Peninsula Writers' contest

Kindergarten – 3rd grade

Poetry

Winner: "As a Fire Sits," by Maya Kelly

Honorable mention: "Butterfly," by Alana Houlihan

Fiction

Winner: "Lead Head," by Julius Woods

Honorable mention: "The Hidden Kingdom," by Clara Stading and Justin Trail

Honorable mention: "Batty and Owl Meet Pumpkin," by Liam Houlihan

Nonfiction

Winner: "The Bear Scare," by Jessica Sonnen

Honorable mention: "Just Out There," by Eli Zatz

4th-6th grade:

Poetry

Winner: "Winter from the Skies," by Rhythm Beckett-Cook

Honorable mention: "Difficulty," by Andie Sonnen

Honorable mention: "Near Death Experience," by Vera Fefelov

Fiction

Winner: "The Dad, the Kid, and the Hippo," by Elan D Carroll

Honorable mention: "Dear Dad," by Brennan Werner

Honorable mention: "Northern Lights," by Joren Kirsis

Nonfiction

Winner: "Scarred and Scared," by Jake Marquardt

Honorable mention: "Bruno, the Dog I Loved," by Briea Gregory

Honorable mention: "Not as Much as His Games," by Tim Couch

7th-9th grade

Poetry

Judge: Anne Coray

Winner: "Where I'm From," by Lauren Jones

Honorable mention: "A Story of a Shadow," by Audrey Russell

Fiction

Judge: Andromeda Romano-Lax

Winner: "The Girl from Georgia," by Lindsey J. Schneider

Honorable mention: "Evanescent," by Molly A Mitchell

Nonfiction

Judge: Ernestine Hayes

Winner: "The Tempest," by Lindsey J. Schneider

Honorable mention: "Harvest Day," by Leo T. Castellani

Honorable mention: "What the Water is Doing," by Scott Trail

10th-12th grade

Poetry

No entries

Fiction

Judge: Andromeda Romano-Lax

Winner: "Escapement," by Kiriakia Reutov

Honorable mention: "Lizaveta," by Elesey Y. Reutov

Honorable mention: "The Story of a Master," by Sophia Kalugin

Nonfiction

Judge: Kim Heacox

Winner: "Fish Soup," by Madeleine Bowen

Adult/open

Poetry

Judge: Derick Burleson

Winner: "Horsetail," by Bill Noomah

Honorable mention: "Cairn," by Bill Noomah

Honorable mention: "Wildflower Aubade," by Ela H. Harrison Gordon

Fiction

Judge: Frank Soos

Winner: "Indian Graveyard," by David Bernard

Honorable mention: "Mission to Mars," by Doug Dodd

Honorable mention: "A Soft Place to Land," by Susan Johnson

Nonfiction

Judge: Heather Lende

Winner: "Rack Cards," by Justine T. Pechuzal

Honorable mention: "Airbag and Orange Juice," by Hannah Heimbuch

Honorable mention: "Solomon's Story," by Kathy Kysar

Winners will be published on the Homer Council on the Arts website at www.homerart.org.