by Angela Reinhardt, Staff Writer
originally published in the Pickens County Progress, Thursday, December 1, 2022
It was arguably the largest crowd in the history of the Sassafras Youth Writing Contest awards ceremony, according to a member of the local writing group that has hosted it for the last 41 years.
The Sassafras Literary Exchange held the ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 17 at First Christian Church on Refuge Road. Award winners and their families gathered inside the gymnasium for a keynote speech from Jim Brescia, a veteran who was drafted into the Army during Vietnam. He spoke about his youth and not being very skilled as an athlete, but not realizing at the time his “lack of athletic ability. Perhaps I would have found writing sooner.”
After leaving the Army Brescia wrote mass communications in the corporate world, and later occasional news articles for non-profits. He now writes columns for this publication from time to time.
Brescia discussed various aspects of writings with attendees, and called “writing an art form… the last true equal opportunity employer,” and “something you can carry with you through life.”
Awards were presented after Brescia’s speech. Monetary prizes were given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. Prizes were sponsored by Community Bank of Pickens County.
High School Fiction
1st – “Yellow House” by Macey Cook
2nd – “The Three Doors” by Abigail O’Shields
3rd – “Treachery” by Annalise Abbott
Honorable Mention
“The Truth of Death” by Sydney Wolfe
“Beautiful Destruction” by Savannah Cantrell
“There It Is” by Kelli Morris
“Coyote” by Jenna Pamphile
High School Non-fiction
1st – “Grant’s Story” by Emma Moore
2nd – “A Step Closer to Becoming a Man” by Bubba Childers
3rd – “Touch ‘Em All” by Martella Bond
Honorable Mention
“An Unforgettable Experience” by Dani Zeigler
“A Life Change” by Rubi Gonzalez
“Life’s Obstacles” by Emily Coley
“Life’s Obstacles Stimulate Us To Grow” by Tate Holes
“My Light In A Dark Time” by Maggie Clots
High School Poetry
1st – “All Eyes Are On You” by Aubrey Henry
2nd – “The Memory of Her” by Luke Crowe
3rd – “Preserved In Amber” by Hunter Baske
Honorable Mention
“The Bloody Bride” by Savannah Cantrell
“Spring” by Wyatt Richards
Middle School Fiction
1st – “The Sky’s The Limit” by Reagan Ludington
2nd – “The Thanksgiving Peacock” by Pearl Fitz
3rd – “Mary” by Kaylee Haynes
Honorable Mention
“Test Day” by Henry Anderson
“Lost Love” by Melissa Davis
“The Body” by Navaeh Trowlee
“The Psychiatrist Mind Games” by Lexi Ferguson
Middle School Non-fiction
1st – “Can’t Help Myself By Sun Yuan and Peng You” by Caroline Jones
2nd – “Alligators and Crocodiles” by Abigail Benton
3rd – “Blue Jesus” by Autumn Ridings
Honorable Mention
“Thanksgiving Day” by Mya Dowland
“A Snake Infested Day: A True Story” by Asher Farrow
Middle School Poetry
1st – “The Season of Fall” by Mya Dowland
2nd – “Voices” by Lindsay Shiba
3rd – “I Am A Runner” by Towson Rickenbaker
Honorable Mention
“My Room” by Draven Ponder
“Why I Love Fall Y’all” by Lillie Grizzle
“A Musical Feeling” by Selina Lance
“Tight Spaces” by Gracie Ledford
“Cruel World” by Aleah Pike
Winners from high school fiction, non-fiction, and poetry in attendance
Winners from Middle School Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry in Attendance
