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SEVERAL STUDENTS received awards in this year’s creative writing contest sponsored by the Missouri State University-West Plains Department of English and Writing Center, and they were recognized during the annual Celebration of Leaders student awards ceremony April 18 at the West Plains Civic Center theater. From left are Associate Professor of English Anthony Priest and winners Kadie Tyler and Brian Hite, both of West Plains, Lemuel Emunah of Dora, Othniel Emunah, who accepted the award given to Zerubbabel Emunah of Dora, and Sonrisa Holmes, Willow Springs. Emmily Andrews, West Plains, also was a winner in the contest. (Missouri State-West Plains photo)
SEVERAL STUDENTS received awards in this year’s creative writing contest sponsored by the Missouri State University-West Plains Department of English and Writing Center, and they were recognized during the annual Celebration of Leaders student awards ceremony April 18 at the West Plains Civic Center theater. From left are Associate Professor of English Anthony Priest and winners Kadie Tyler and Brian Hite, both of West Plains, Lemuel Emunah of Dora, Othniel Emunah, who accepted the award given to Zerubbabel Emunah of Dora, and Sonrisa Holmes, Willow Springs. Emmily Andrews, West Plains, also was a winner in the contest. (Missouri State-West Plains photo)

Winners announced in annual writing contest

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SEVERAL STUDENTS received awards in this year’s creative writing contest sponsored by the Missouri State University-West Plains Department of English and Writing Center, and they were recognized during the annual Celebration of Leaders student awards ceremony April 18 at the West Plains Civic Center theater. From left are Associate Professor of English Anthony Priest and winners Kadie Tyler and Brian Hite, both of West Plains, Lemuel Emunah of Dora, Othniel Emunah, who accepted the award given to Zerubbabel Emunah of Dora, and Sonrisa Holmes, Willow Springs. Emmily Andrews, West Plains, also was a winner in the contest. (Missouri State-West Plains photo)
SEVERAL STUDENTS received awards in this year’s creative writing contest sponsored by the Missouri State University-West Plains Department of English and Writing Center, and they were recognized during the annual Celebration of Leaders student awards ceremony April 18 at the West Plains Civic Center theater. From left are Associate Professor of English Anthony Priest and winners Kadie Tyler and Brian Hite, both of West Plains, Lemuel Emunah of Dora, Othniel Emunah, who accepted the award given to Zerubbabel Emunah of Dora, and Sonrisa Holmes, Willow Springs. Emmily Andrews, West Plains, also was a winner in the contest. (Missouri State-West Plains photo)

WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Five students at Missouri State University-West Plains won top honors in the campus’ annual creative writing contest sponsored by the English Department and the Student Advisement and Academic Support (SAAS) Center’s Writing Lab.

Prize money in the amount of $35 and $20 and a copy of Elder Mountain: A Journal of Ozarks Studies, the university’s literary journal, were awarded to the first, second and third place winners, respectively, in each of three categories – essay, fiction and poetry.  Prize money was made possible with a donation from the West Plains Daily Quill.

First place in the essay category went to Sonrisa Holmes, Willow Springs, for her piece “Respect for the Dead: Are Corpses More Revered Than the Living?”  In describing her essay’s topic, Holmes said, “There are many humanitarian uses for cadavers, including the prolongation of life, protection of the living, and preservation of natural resources.  Instead of wasting this valuable resource, more research should be invested in the many uses for one of the most complex feats of nature – the human body.”

Second place in essays went to Brian Hite, West Plains, for “Death to the Individual.”  Kadie Tyler, West Plains, took third place with “Plagiarism.”

For the fiction category, Holmes again placed first for her story “Weary,” a tale about a fairytale godmother who is rescued by a veteran soldier and offers him a wish.  “Static” by Hite earned the second place prize, and Emmily Andrews, West Plains, placed third for her piece “White Rabbit in Aster Fields.”

In poetry, Lemuel Emunah, Dora, took first and second place for his pieces “Adoxography” and “Steam Powered,” and Zerubbabel Emunah, also of Dora, placed third for his poem “Intruder.”

Organizers said they received 29 entries for this year’s contest – five essays, 17 poems and seven short stories.  “I’m proud of all the winners, but I have to admit I was proud two of the winning authors worked at the Tutoring Lab,” said Writing Specialist Alexandra Graham, pointing to winners Lemuel Emunah and Holmes.

Copies of the first, second and third place entries in each category can be viewed online through SAAS’ website, http://wp.missouristate.edu/saas/Contest.htm.

For more information about the contest, contact Graham at 417-255-7942.