Grand Prize Winner

Editors' Choice

"The Field" by Hannah Watkins, Anchorage

Story

Grades K-2:

Winner: "The Higor is Back" by Fiona Gehrke, Homeschool, Anchorage
Honorable Mentions: "Fixxula and Wolfam" by Harris Anderson, Chugach Optional, Anchorage
"The Runaway Dogs" by Sage Smith, Chugach Optional, Anchorage

Fiction

Grades 3-6:

Winner: "A Friend from the Woods" by Mesa Smith, Begich Middle School, Anchorage
Honorable Mentions: "A Day in the Life of Summer" by Annemarie Van Couwenberghe, Kincaid Elementary, Anchorage
"Mushroom, An Autobiography" by Victor Romanko, West Homer Elementary School, Homer
"The Journey of a Salmon" by Quinn Rice, Machetanz Elementary, Palmer

Grades 7-9:

Winner: "A Most Peculiar Alarm Clock" by Claire Engstrom, Dzantik'i Heeni Middle School, Juneau
Honorable Mention: "Guitar-Wielder" by Jacob Hersh, Service High School, Anchorage

Grades 10-12:

Winner: "Rekindle" by Sophie Verbrugge, Polaris K-12, Anchorage
Honorable Mentions: "Best Excuse Note Ever" by Michaela Hack, I.D.E.A., Ketchikan
"The Woman at the Post Office" by Autumn Baker, Connections, Homer 

Open to the Public:

Winner:  "Story Knife" by Warren Rhodes, Anchorage
Honorable Mentions: "Between Here and There" by Melanya Berg, Anchorage
"The Great Fox Caper" by Steve Harrison, Talkeetna

Nonfiction

Grades 3-6:

Winner: "Kevin Bell" by Casey Otis, West Homer Elementary, Homer
Honorable Mentions:"Hawaiian Adventure" by Ruby Dahl, Kassuun Elementary, Anchorage
"The Greatest Empire" by Jacob Milligan, Homeschool, Seward

Grades 7-9:

Winner: "The Day He Left" by Clare Kays, Wasilla
Honorable Mentions: "Ramblings of a Little Boat on a Big Sea" by Carmen Gordon-Rein, Central Middle School, Anchorage
"A True Alaskan Story" by Jaidyn Makos, Dimond High School, Anchorage
"Courage is the Key" by Madison Blackburn, Stikine Middle School, Wrangell

Grades 10-12:

Winner: "Story of My Summer Camp Failure" by Michaela Hack, I.D.E.A., Ketchikan
Honorable Mentions: "Feminism: Getting Back to Its Roots" by Danielle DuClos, Dimond High School, Anchorage
"The Accident" by Lara Suscha, Lathrop High School, Fairbanks
"Time" by Quinn White, West High School, Anchorage

Open to the Public:

Winner: "Dual Citizenship" by Justine Pechusal, Seward
Honorable Mentions: "Dream of Fish" by Jennifer Baker, Wasilla
"The Addiction of Berry Picking" by Barbara Gazaway, Anchorage

Poetry

Grades K-2:

Winner: "Trees" by Chloe Farrell, Anchor Lutheran School, Anchorage
Honorable Mentions: "Pink Bear" by Olivia Gatewood, Homeschool, Eagle River
"Me" by Sage Smith, Chugach Optional, Anchorage
"The Beach" by Sage Smith, Chugach Optional, Anchorage

Grades 3-6:

Winner: "Eagle" by Coral Mercer, Eagle River Open Optional, Eagle River
Honorable Mentions: "Harriet Tubman" by Saylor Hack, I.D.E.A., Ketchikan
"Piano Perfection" by Anna DeVolld, Connections Homeschool, Soldotna
"The Grand Slam" by Seamus McDonough, West Homer Elementary, Homer

Grades 7-9:

Winner: "Where Am I From" by Alexandria Ivanoff, Unalakleet School, Unalakleet
Honorable Mentions:"Sassy Be Like" by Talya Edgerley, Randy Smith Middle School, Fairbanks
"We Let Go" by Talya Edgerley, Randy Smith Middle School, Fairbanks
"Who I Am" by Allison Wayt, South Anchorage High School, Anchorage

Grades 10-12:

Winner: "The Field" by Hannah Watkins, Service High School, Anchorage
Honorable Mentions: "Dear Yesterday" by Raven Sikes, Burchell High School, Wasilla
"Three More Months" by Kyah Ellefson, Bartlett High School, Anchorage
"Unearthed" by Kathleen Shaw, Dimond High School, Anchorage
"What If" by Christian Rehe, Colony High School, Palmer

Open to the Public:

Winner: "Meditation on an Artifact" by Stuart Ravn, Anchorage
Honorable Mentions: "Almost One" by Rudy Wittshirk, Willow
"Life Halo" by Chris Greenfield-Pastro, Fairbanks

JUDGES

Teresa Ascone
Aisha Barnes
Dianne Barske
Anna Bjartmarsdottir
Tricia Brown
Anita Dale
Kristin DeSmith
Sherry Eckrich
Patience Frederiksen
Christina Gheen
Shannon Gramse
Jana Gwynn
Trish Jenkins
Mary Kancewick
Sarah Kirk
Nicole Lamb
Alyse Knorr
Marie Lundstrom
Roger Miller
Michelle Mitton
Micah Muer
Cameron Nay
Roseanne Pagano
Elise Patkotak
Kate Partridge
Emily Paul
Lorelei Sterling
Rayette Sterling
David Stevenson
Carol Sturgulewski
Lila Vogt
Hillary Walker
Louise Dekreon Watsjold
Mark Weber
Toby Widdicombe

GRAND PRIZE JUDGES

Mike Dunham, Alaska Dispatch News
Sara Juday, Alaska Center for the Book
Ronald Spatz, University of Alaska Anchorage

VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS FROM THE ALASKA CENTER FOR THE BOOK & UAA

Page Brannon, Heather Caldwell, Camille Oliver