Winning entries to be printed in literary magazine
HENDERSON, Nev. – For three months the Henderson Libraries collected short stories, poetry, essays and one-act plays from sixth through 12th grade students for the Teen Writing Contest, and it’s finally time to reveal the winners. A reception will be held in honor of the teen writers from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 27 at the Paseo Verde Library – located at 280 S. Green Valley Parkway near the I-215 in Henderson.
Thirty-four entries were submitted, all at a length of no more than 1,500 words, but only one overall winner will be chosen each for the high school age group and the middle school age group. Some entrants submitted more than one, but no more than three pieces of work. Of the 34 entries, 22 will be published in a Henderson Libraries Teen Literary Magazine.
A group of librarians and library specialists reviewed the submitted entries and decided on the 22 entries that were chosen to be published in the literary magazine. Beverly Davison, a Las Vegas English teacher at Von Tobel Middle School, judged the entries and selected the winners for the two age groups.
The reception will feature the winning submissions and the authors of the entries featured in the literary publication. The two winners will be announced at the reception. In addition to having their entries published in the magazine, winners, will receive gift packages of literary items. “April is National Poetry Month and the perfect time to promote writing with our teen patrons,” said Jessica Sullenberger, teen services librarian for the Henderson Libraries. “Writing can be a fun creative outlet for young people, but they aren’t always encouraged to do more of it. Our goal was to give local youth a reason to write, and, in turn, to help them enjoy it more.”
The reception will include an unveiling of the literary magazine and a presentation by guest author Alissa Nutting. Nutting is a local author and a Schaeffer Fellow at UNLV. Teens will also have an opportunity to read their published poem or an excerpt of a short story or essay.
The Friends of Henderson Libraries are sponsors of the Teen Writing Contest. They are covering the costs of printing the literary magazine as well as the cost of prizes for the winners.
Established in 1943 as a single library in Downtown Henderson, Henderson Libraries operates six locations throughout Henderson. Henderson Libraries cooperates with other public libraries in Southern Nevada, the Nevada System of Higher Education, the Clark County School District and all other libraries around the state to provide quality service for Nevada’s residents.
For more information on Henderson Libraries and its many services and resources, visit www.mypubliclibrary.com or call 702-492-6581.