2019 Young Writers Contest Winners

Announcing the winners of the 2019 KET Young Writers Contest!

Thank you to everyone who submitted stories and poems to the 2019 KET Young Writers Contest! The annual contest encourages creative expression and literacy development by inviting students in kindergarten through twelfth grade to submit original illustrated stories, short stories and poetry.

We are excited to congratulate the following winners and proud to publish their entries for your enjoyment. Congratulations!

Kindergarten - Illustrated Stories

1st Place: Grace Hardin, Louisville, Ky.
Ku’u Ipo Academy (Homeschool)
The Bad Jump

Read or hear Grace read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 12 MB
2nd Place: Channing Seaton, West Paducah, Ky.
Clark Elementary School
Tiger Trouble

Read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 8.8 MB
3rd Place: Maryam Gauhar, Louisville, Ky.
Islamic School of Louisville
Bamboo Hut

Read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 11.3 MB

Kindergarten Finalists:

Sabeeh Ahmad, Louisville, Ky., Islamic School of Louisville
Deacon Barnes, Ewing, Va., Yellow Creek School Center
Gunnar Baumier, Taylorsville, Ky., Spencer County Elementary
Aiden Blanton, Prestonsburg, Ky., Wesley Christian School
Raiyan Elmerse, Louisville, Ky., Norton Elementary
Ali Jaber, Louisville, Ky., Islamic School of Louisville
Isaac Jarvis, Paris, Ky., Cane Ridge Elementary School
Adeline Martin, Taylorsville, Ky., Spencer County Elementary
Cason Thompson, Salvisa, Ky., YHWH Discipleship

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First Grade - Illustrated Stories

1st Place: Liam Sweeney, Lexington, Ky.
Redwood Cooperative School
Jeffrey Goes Wild

Read or hear Liam read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 18.5 MB
2nd Place: Sam Schaeffer, Burlington, Ky.
Villa Madonna Academy
Sam and the Zombies

Read or hear Sam read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 5.1 MB
3rd Place: Stella Heathcoat, Lexington, Ky.
The Lexington School
Climbing to the Moon

Read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 9 MB

First Grade Finalists:

Eliora Archibong, Murray, Ky., Murray Elementary School
Demi Brown, Paducah, Ky., Symsonia Elementary School
Jenna Faulkner, Owensboro, Ky., Highland Elementary
Mila Lequire, Pikeville, Ky., Wesley Christian School
Will Nevitt, Louisville, Ky., Wheeler Elementary
Ridge Perry, Franklin, Ky., Simpson Elementary School
Brycen Saylor, Lynch, Ky., Cumberland Elementary School
Elise Thompson, Salvisa, Ky., YHWH Discipleship
Melody Yates, Winchester, Ky., Yates Homeschool Academy

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Second Grade - Illustrated Stories

1st Place: Ibraheem Gauhar, Louisville, Ky.
Islamic School of Louisville
William the Whale

Read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 17.5 MB
2nd Place: Ryan Maya, Louisville, Ky.
Islamic School of Louisville
The True Love

Read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 21.1 MB
3rd Place: Claire Stites, Richmond, Ky.
Model Laboratory
Why Am I a Skunk?

Read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 12.5 MB

Second Grade Finalists:

Asher Cohen, Louisville, Ky., The Waldorf School of Louisville
Alice Dobson, Louisville, Ky., J. Graham Brown School
Ani Fauver, Louisville, Ky., The Waldorf School of Louisville
Lucas Glasnovic, Louisville, Ky., Homeschool
Kimi Keith, Frankfort, Ky., The Frankfort Christian Academy
Maya Meurer, Louisville, Ky., The Waldorf School of Louisville
Bennett Seaton, West Paducah, Ky., Clark Elementary School
Sufyan White, Louisville, Ky., Islamic School of Louisville

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Third Grade - Illustrated Stories

1st Place: Adah Hardin, Louisville, Ky.
Ku’u Ipo Academy (Homeschool)
The Close Encounter

Read or hear Adah read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 6.5 MB
2nd Place: Hayan Ahmad, Louisville, Ky.
Islamic School of Louisville
Green and Slither’s Adventure to “The Thunder Over Louisville”

Read or hear Hayan read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 15.2 MB
3rd Place: Lily Nieman, Owensboro, Ky.
Newton Parrish Elementary
The Bully

Read or hear Lily read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 7.3 MB

Third Grade Finalists:

Eliana Archibong, Murray, Ky., Murray Elementary School
Vivian Cox, Peewee Valley, Ky., Sacred Heart Model School
Huda Hasnain, Goshen, Ky., Islamic School of Louisville
Clare Herfel, Ft. Thomas, Ky., St. Catherine of Siena
Kolbey Kohrs, Ft. Thomas, Ky, St. Catherine of Siena
Sean Sears, Richmond Ky., Kit Carson Elementary
Owen Tafel, Louisville, Ky., Sacred Heart Model School
Arisa Wolford, Hodgenville, Ky., Hodgenville Elementary School

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Fourth Grade - Short Stories

1st Place: Allie Holstein, Barbourville, Ky.
Central Elementary
Alzheimer’s Art

Read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 312 KB
2nd Place: Zaineb Elmerse, Louisville, Ky.
Norton Elementary
Kindness of the Heart

Read  or hear Zaineb read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 3.2 MB
3rd Place: Lauren Spraggins, Lexington, Ky.
Lexington Christian Academy
The Magic Puddle
Read or hear Lauren read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 36 KB

Fourth Grade Finalists:

Abdulrahman Abdeljaber, Louisville, Ky., Islamic School of Lousiville
Evelyn Afenya, Lexington, Ky., Meadowthorpe Elementary
Lizzie Branham, Prestonsburg, Ky., Wesley Christian School
Sarah Gauhar, Louisville, Ky., Islamic School of Louisville
Breanna Herald, Richmond, Ky., Kit Carson Elementary
Esme Morris, Lexington, Ky., SCAPA at Bluegrass
Max Springer, LaGrange, Ky., LaGrange Elementary School
Zetta Toler, Louisville, Ky., Dunn Elementary School
Connor Zeller, Lexington, Ky., Meadowthorpe Elementary
Zoe Zhang, Lexington, Ky., Rosa Parks Elementary

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Fifth Grade - Short Stories

1st Place: Tessa Blain, Leitchfield Ky.
H.W. Wilkey Elementary
Raven’s Nest
Read or hear Tessa read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 93 KB
2nd Place: Gabe Resinger, Lexington, Ky.
Meadowthorpe Elementary
The Life of a Box
Read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 31 KB
3rd Place: Rylie Humphress, Lexington, Ky.
SCAPA at Bluegrass
Chasing Venom
Read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 968 KB

Fifth Grade Finalists:

Avneesh Kudrimoti, Lexington, Ky., Meadowthorpe Elementary
Mahika Kumar, Peachtree City, Ga., Peachtree City Elementary School
Abby Ladwig, Owensboro, Ky., Newton Parrish Elementary
Alyssa Pollard, Louisville, Ky., Eisenhower Elementary
Abigail Ramey, Eddyville, Ky., Ramey School
Moahnishan Wignakumar, Lexington, Ky., Meadowthorpe Elementary
Joanna Yates, Winchester, Ky., Yates Homeschool Academy

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Sixth Grade - Poetry

1st Place: Hannah McGregor, Lexington, Ky.
SCAPA at Bluegrass
Winter is Spring
Read or hear Hannah read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 29 KB
2nd Place: Hannah Cooksey, Louisville, Ky.
Highland Middle School
My Scar
Read or hear Hannah read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 71 KB
3rd Place: Nina Tay, Lexington, Ky.
SCAPA at Bluegrass
Who You Are
Read or hear Nina read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 53 KB

Sixth Grade Finalists:

Max Case, Louisville, Ky., Meredith-Dunn School
Grace Hedger, Cold Spring, Ky., Campbell County Middle School
Delilah Kaelin, Louisville, Ky., Meyzeek Middle School
Sophia Miller, Lexington, Ky., Seton Catholic School
Whitney Rivard, Lexington, Ky., Leestown Middle School

 

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Seventh Grade - Poetry

1st Place: Allie Neltner, Lexington, Ky.
Beaumont Middle School
Textile Beach
Read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 26 KB
2nd Place: Leigha Browning, Olmstead, Ky.
Olmstead School
The Wave
Read or hear Leigha read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 185 KB
3rd Place: Kaylee Belle Barnes, Irvine, Ky.
Clark Moores Middle School
Here…
Read or hear Kaylee read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 488 KB

Seventh Grade Finalists:

Ava Blandford, Lexington, Ky., Seton Catholic School
Caitlin Brockenbrow, Lexington, Ky., SCAPA at Bluegrass
Jackson Curtsinger, Shelbyville, Ky., Eminence Middle School
Adeline Hall, Bremen, Maine, Homeschooled
Athena O’Brien, Scottsdale, Ariz., Homeschooled
Quentin Shuff, Eminence, Ky., Eminence Independent Schools
Paige Thyne, Lexington, Ky., Leestown Middle School

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Eighth Grade - Poetry

1st Place: Marco Garcia, Lexington, Ky.
Leestown Middle School
She Does It All
Read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 237 KB
2nd Place: Lauren Wood, Louisville, Ky.
Noe Middle School
Empowered
Read or hear Lauren read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 71 KB
3rd Place: Olivia Couch, London, Ky.
South Laurel Middle School
The Red River
Read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 278 KB

Eighth Grade Finalists:

Thomas Broughton, Vanceburg, Ky., Lewis County Middle School
Molly Gifford, Olive Hill, Ky., Gifford Homeschool
Hadley Jones, Upton, Ky., East Hardin Middle School
Callie Mattingly, Bardstown, Ky., Old Kentucky Home Middle School
Lucy Pearl Mills, Glasgow, Ky., Barren County Middle School
Gwen Profitt, Wilmore, Ky., Homeschooled

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High School - Form Poetry

1st Place: Nina Sherman, Louisville, Ky.
Eastern High School
Mind Junk
Read or hear Nina read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 88 KB
2nd Place: Caroline Winnenberg, Louisville, Ky.
Christian Academy of Louisville
Keychain Flashlight
Read or hear Caroline read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 47 KB
3rd Place: Emily Cramer, Lexington, Ky.
Trinity Christian Academy
Consumerism
Read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 34 KB

High School Form Poetry Finalists:

Autumn Hardin, Louisville, Ky., Eastern High School
Devon Martin, Dixon, Ky., McCraken Regional School
Lauren Arnold, Burlington, Ky., Connor High School
Lilly Mooney, Shepherdsville, Ky., Mooney’s Homeschool
Morgan Tinin, Paducah, Ky., McCracken County High

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High School - Free Verse Poetry

1st Place: Olivia Creech, Benham, Ky.
Harlan County High School
I Reckon
Read or hear Olivia read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 44 KB
2nd Place: Brigid Regan McCarthy, Manasquan, N.J.
Communications High School
on life and death and everything in between (woman)
Read or hear Brigid read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 69 KB
3rd Place: Emmy Song, Rockville, Md.
Montgomery Blair High School
a walk down lafayette street
Read or hear Emmy read on Book Creator
Download PDF – 50 KB

High School Free Verse Poetry Finalists:

Penny Duran, Houston, Texas, Willy Brandt Schule
Collin Hare, Louisville, Ky., Eastern High School
Grace Riley, Louisville, Ky., Sacred Heart Academy
Quinton Lightsy, Louisville, Ky., duPont Manual High School
Molly Sample, Louisville, Ky., Eastern High School
Madison Thompson, Goshen, Ky., North Oldham High School
Nicholas Yungbluth, Wilder, Ky., Campbell County High School

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