SWEETWATER COUNTY — In October of 2013, the Young Author’s Competition was announced and opened to participants from Sweetwater County School District #1, Sweetwater County School District #2, and Holy Spirit Catholic School. Many students from the county participated. District winners were announced on February 25th, 2014, followed by the announcement of county winners on April 10th in an awards ceremony held at Green River High School. First place winners at each grade level in fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, received a certificate as well as a $15 gift card to Barnes and Noble. Many other students received an honorable mention and were awarded with a certificate and a $5 gift card to Barnes and Noble. It was a great turnout and many Sweetwater One students were recognized along with students throughout the county. Superintendent Mathew Neal of Sweetwater County School District One and Superintendent Donna Little-Kaumo of Sweetwater Two, congratulated all award recipients and encouraged all students in their continued academic excellence.
Sweetwater One Fiction Winners:
First Grade: First Place: Mackenzie Ribordy, Westridge, “Erica’s Bite”
Third Grade: First Place: Sage Romero, Westridge, “The Day My Horse Followed Me to…”
Fourth Grade: First Place: Kennedy Shassetz, Westridge, “Adjusting to My New Home”
Seventh Grade: First Place: Antonina Klatka, RS Junior High, “Surrounded by Darkness”
Tenth Grade: First Place: Brittany Atkinson, RSHS, “What We Saw”
Sweetwater One Non-Fiction Winners:
First Grade: First Place: Maddox Ice, Westridge, “The Great Outdoors”
Fifth Grade: First Place: Adam Larson, Eastside, “Fire on Kimberly”
Sixth Grade: First Place: Jarren Johannessen, Farson, “Rockwell’s Use of Color in the…”
Sweetwater One Poetry Winners
Third Grade: First Place: Mykenzy Davis, Desert View, “Nature’s Way”
Fourth Grade: First Place: Pedro Venegas Islas, Desert View, “Seasons Are Wonderful”
Sixth Grade: First Place: Amanda Weaver, Farson, “Wonderful Wyoming”
Seventh Grade: First Place: Antonina Klaka, RS Junior High, “Beef Stew for the Soul”
Eighth Grade: First Place: Laiba Fatima, RS Junior High, “No Frowns Allowed”
Eleventh Grade: First Place: Emily Winward, Farson, “Under This Shell of Insanity”
The fourteen first place students will be moving onto the State competition. Winners will be announced on May 2nd. Sweetwater One is proud of all the district winners and would like to congratulate all the county winners. Tammy Macy, who has been involved with the Young Author’s Awards for 12 years now, spoke concerning this year’s Young Author’s Awards Ceremony when she said, “Creating excitement with writing is rewarding. It is a joy to showcase [the students’] talent.”
