Howard County Students Recognized for Literary Achievement

June 13th, 2016

The Howard County Poetry and Literature Society (HoCoPoLitSo) awarded book prizes to the student winners of its All County Writing Contest during presentations at Howard County public high school senior award assemblies and the Homewood Center. The society also recognized students nominated by their teachers for the Promise and Achievement in Language Arts award.

Awards were presented to 11 creative writing winners in three categories. Nadine Eloseily of Centennial High School, Angelina Zater of Howard High School, and Kasmita Mirani from Glenelg High School received awards in the personal essay category. Christian Salazar of Oakland Mills High School, Ben Yodzis of Hammond High School, and Alexa Marquis, Erin Hill and Lawrence Qiu of River Hill High School received awards in the short story category. Xin He of River Hill High School,Kasmita Mirani from Glenelg High School and Kiara Bell of Oakland Mills High School were recognized in the poetry category.

Twenty-four students were chosen by their respective English departments to receive the society’s Promise and Achievement Award in Language Arts. The honorees were Amanda Etcheberrigaray and Connor Gallant of Atholton High School, Jessie Kwonand Teresa Whittemore from Centennial High School, Tiffany Nguyen and Zoe Read of Glenelg High School, Emily Carter and Matthew Sinnott from Hammond High School, Mia Dubin and Emilee Melton of the Homewood Center, Hunter Hensley and Rachel Walter from Howard High School, Naomi Yang and Theo Yang of Long Reach High School, Devon Carberry and Grace Yi from Marriotts Ridge High School, Casey Kindall and Cory Weller of Mt. Hebron High School, Kiara Bell from Oakland Mills High School, Joseph Smith and Marya Topina of Reservoir High School, Alexa Marquis from River Hill High School, and Yazunat Guta and Sara Shemali of Wilde Lake High School.

Students received books by poets and writers Sandra Beasley, Lucille Clifton, Michael Collier, Billy Collins, Emma Donoghue, Rita Dove, Eamon Grennan, Josephine Hart, Robert Hass, Colum McCann and Richard Wilbur.