The 2024 District Young Authors Competition awards young, talented writers and artists supported by their teachers, schools, and families.

From gripping narratives to poignant poetry, each piece showcases not only the students' literary excellence but also their ability to captivate audiences with their unique voices and perspectives.

For this competition, Kindergarteners all the way up to 12th-graders put together an entire book, showing off their creativity, storytelling, and design skills.

Every year, community members who help read and judge entries are astonished at the spectacular work of students at every level,” shared Devin Hodgins, Centennial Librarian, and District Young Authors Coordinator.

Young Author Award Winners

Kindergarten

Fiction

First Place: Elliot Pridgeon ~ St. Anthony’s Tri-Parish Catholic School ~ Melissa Kulhavy

Honorable Mention: Zoe Hamilton ~ Fort Caspar Academy ~ Ali Dugan

Non-Fiction

First Place: Fletcher Stanton ~ Verda James Elementary ~ Esmerelda Cortez & Miss Yennifer

Honorable Mention: Simon Titus ~ St. Anthony’s Tri-Parish Catholic School ~ Cheryl Pridgeon

1st Grade

Fiction

First Place: Victoria Barritt ~ St. Anthony’s Tri-Parish Catholic School ~ Linda Lillie

Honorable Mention: Blair Williams ~ Verda James Elementary ~ Valerie Honken

Non-Fiction

First Place: Liv Wilkes ~ Verda James Elementary ~ Lydia Bell & Senorita Tatiana

2nd Grade

Fiction

First Place: Natalie Honken ~ Verda James Elementary ~ Samantha James

Honorable Mention: Piper McMurray ~ Midwest School ~ Regan West

Non-Fiction

First Place: Grace Miller ~ Verda James Elementary ~ Jennifer Cole & Katherin Arango

Honorable Mention: Elizabeth Rhoads ~ Woods Learning Center ~ Jennifer Leman

Honorable Mention: Samira Sol Burton ~ Park Elementary ~ Chris Beamer

Graphic Novel

First Place: Layla Schoonover ~ Crest Hill Elementary ~ Ashley Dame

Honorable Mention: Ryan Corbett ~ Park Elementary ~ Chris Beamer

Honorable Mention: Alyson Leverich ~ Manor Heights Elementary ~ Gabrielle Garris

3rd Grade

Fiction

First Place: Audra Moore ~ Summit Elementary ~ Beth Corley & Abby Bishop

Honorable Mention: Baxter Stanton ~ Verda James Elementary ~ Kelly Umbach & Senorita Nicolle

Honorable Mention: Rory Catellier ~ Park Elementary ~ Bailee Peterson

Non-Fiction

First Place: Vincent Brown ~ Summit Elementary ~ Jen Wilson & Kim Hornbeck

Honorable Mention: Grace Tatum ~ Park Elementary ~ Bailee Peterson

Poetry

First Place: Hanna Daigle ~ Park Elementary ~ Bailee Peterson

Honorable Mention: Nellie Alvey ~ Bar Nunn Elementary ~ Patty Arner

Graphic Novel

First Place: Leo Zeidler ~ Verda James Elementary ~ Kelly Umbach & Senorita Nicolle

4th Grade

Fiction

First Place: Lily Christensen ~ Mount Hope Lutheran School ~ Anna Hahn

Honorable Mention: Sarah Bonine ~ Midwest School ~ Erin Drinkwalter

Honorable Mention: Mira Ballew ~ Verda James Elementary ~ Ben Mattila & Carlos Gonzalo

Non-Fiction

Honorable Mention: Lucas Titus ~ St. Anthony’s Tri-Parish Catholic School ~ Tiffany Catellier

Honorable Mention: Callie Day ~ Crest Hill Elementary ~ Brittny Meyer

Poetry

First Place: Anna Papich ~ Crest Hill Elementary ~ Britney Holbrook

Honorable Mention: Emma Russell ~ Verda James Elementary ~ Ben Mattila & Carlos Gonzalo

Honorable Mention: Agnes Niglio ~ St. Anthony’s Tri-Parish Catholic School ~ Amanda McCarthy

Graphic Novel

First Place: Hadley Serres ~ Verda James Elementary ~ Ben Mattila & Carlos Gonzalo

5th Grade

Fiction

First Place: Ellie Adkins ~ Verda James Elementary ~ Sarah Deschenes

Honorable Mention: Emmersyn Adsit ~ Crest Hill Elementary ~ Alejandra Lattimer

Honorable Mention: Jenny Yin ~ Manor Heights Elementary ~ Cynthia Brachtenbach

Non-Fiction

First Place: Emmersyn Adsit ~ Crest Hill Elementary ~ Alejandra Lattimer

Honorable Mention: Vivian Cubin ~ Summit Elementary ~ Sandra Wharton

Honorable Mention: Isabella Garcia ~ Evansville Elementary ~ Kirsten Ellis

Poetry

First Place: Braxton Oedekoven ~ Evansville Elementary ~ Kirsten Ellis

Honorable Mention: Olivia Cassity ~ Verda James Elementary ~ Brystal Chaput

Honorable Mention: Isla Martinson ~ Manor Heights Elementary ~ Heather Feraud

Graphic Novel

First Place: Zoey Taggart ~ Manor Heights ~ Heather Feraud

Honorable Mention: Dylan Aristonic ~ Park Elementary ~ Alexandria Elm

Honorable Mention: Sadie Wendling ~ Evansville Elementary ~ Kirsten Ellis

6th Grade

Fiction

First Place: Natalie Poulsen ~ CY Middle School ~ Desiree Riley

Honorable Mention: Zoe Fitzpatrick ~ Casper Classical Academy ~ Rebecca Brachtenbach

Honorable Mention: Eden Dresser ~ Dean Morgan Middle School ~ Laura Deal

Non-Fiction

First Place: Lily Cubin ~ CY Middle School ~ Desiree Riley

Honorable Mention: Kaleesi Matthes ~ Casper Classical Academy ~ Rebecca Brachtenbach

Honorable Mention: Reese Bentz ~ Dean Morgan Middle School ~ Kim Hanneman

Poetry

First Place: Kennedy Fausset ~ Casper Classical Academy ~ Rebecca Brachtenbach

Graphic Novel

First Place: Angel Galicia Beltran ~ Casper Classical Academy ~ Rebecca Brachtenbach

Honorable Mention: Uriah Rosenbaum ~ Poison Spider School ~ Ashley McCoy & Noelle Clark

7th Grade

Fiction

First Place: Eli Lunsford ~ Centennial Middle School ~ Alexis Lamb

Honorable Mention: Slayde Myhre ~ Dean Morgan Middle School ~ Laura Deal

Honorable Mention: Breann Helzer ~ CY Middle School ~ Angela Hartl

Non-Fiction

First Place: Corey Castro ~ Casper Classical Academy ~ Stacy Mogen

Poetry

First Place: Susanna Owens ~ CY Middle School ~ Lindsay Casey

Honorable Mention: Genevieve Ahlschlager ~ CY Middle School ~ Angela Hartl

Graphic Novel

First Place: Bowdy St Clair ~ Casper Classical Academy ~ Stacy Mogen

8th Grade

Fiction

First Place: Ahrianna Kujaczynski ~ Casper Classical Academy ~ Jackie Bradley

Honorable Mention: Jane Hale ~ Dean Morgan Middle School ~ Laura Deal

Honorable Mention: Kimber Gaines ~ Natrona Virtual ~ Jill Felbeck-Jones

Non-Fiction

First Place: TJ Coster ~ Dean Morgan Middle School ~ Laura Deal

Honorable Mention: Koda Sutherland ~ Midwest School ~ Keri Graves

Poetry

First Place: Sophia Winfrey ~ Casper Classical Academy ~ Jackie Bradley

Honorable Mention: Chance Harmon ~ St. Anthony’s Tri-Parish Catholic School ~ Julie Fresquez

Honorable Mention: Cadence Toland ~ CY Middle School ~ Audrey Egan

Graphic Novel

First Place: Maggie McConigly ~ Dean Morgan Middle School ~ Laura Deal

9th Grade

Fiction

First Place: Mackenzie Wilmes ~ Natrona County High School ~ Carl Myers

Honorable Mention: Cayden Rhodes ~ Midwest School ~ Daphne Vaughn

Non-Fiction

First Place: Ryan Collier ~ Kelly Walsh High School ~ Laura Martinovich

Poetry

First Place: Natalie Owen ~ Kelly Walsh High School ~ Laura Martinovich

10th Grade

Fiction

First Place: Sebastian Ruiz ~ Kelly Walsh High School ~ Laura Martinovich

Honorable Mention: Kylie Wall ~ Natrona County High School ~ Brianna Young

Poetry

First Place: Bentley Abegglen ~ Natrona County High School ~ Brianna Young

Honorable Mention: Amya Shropshire ~ Kelly Walsh High School ~ Eberle Buhler

11th Grade

Fiction

First Place: Madeline Elston ~ Natrona County High School ~ Greg Aitkenhead

Non-Fiction

First Place: Jayden Moffat ~ Natrona County High School ~ Brianna Young

Poetry

First Place: Isabel Szewczyk ~ Natrona County High School ~ Carl Myers

Honorable Mention: Jeremy Liska ~ Midwest School ~ Daphne Vaughn

Honorable Mention: Madeline Elston ~ Natrona County High School ~ Greg Aitkenhead

12th Grade

Fiction

First Place: Olivia Ellis ~ Kelly Walsh High School ~ Laura Martinovich

Honorable Mention: Rachael Drucker ~ Roosevelt High School ~ Melanie Kelly

Non-Fiction

First Place: Olivia Ellis ~ Kelly Walsh High School ~ Laura Martinovich

Poetry

First Place: Rachael Drucker ~ Roosevelt High School ~ Melanie Kelly