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High school students are now published writers

A photo of The Best of Autumn Voices participants.

May 23, 2018

VINCENNES, Ind. - High school students recently became published authors when their submissions of poetry and short stories were included in Vincennes University’s annual publication, “The Best of Autumn Voices,” for 2017-2018.

VU sponsors the Autumn Voices writing program in conjunction with area high schools and accepts submissions from schools in southern Indiana and southeastern Illinois. “We are proud to give these young voices the opportunity to be published and have their creative talents recognized,” said Juenell Owens, program coordinator and professor of English.

Students whose works were chosen for publication were recognized at a reception on May 3. Joan Puckett, dean of the College of Humanities, presented the students with certificates noting their achievement, and students whose work was chosen as first- or second-place also received engraved plaques. After the recognition, students and faculty enjoyed a writing workshop led by Jesse Coomer, assistant professor of English.

Plaques were presented as follows: First Place in Short Story - Madison Brough, “Home,” North Knox Jr./Sr. High School; First Place in Poetry - Elise Kay Richard, “Season Sadness,” Robinson High School; Second Place in Short Story - Natosha Smith, “One Half of a Whole,” North Knox Jr./Sr. High School; and Second Place in Poetry - Katelyn Tretter, “Miles Apart, the World a Difference,” Forest Park Jr./Sr. High School.

The publication also includes works from students at the following schools:

Forest Park Jr./Sr. High School
Kaiyah Wilhite, “My Knife”; Katie Winkler, “Full Circle” and “A New Perspective”; Emily Miller, “My Savior”; Jordyn Wiseman, “Forever”; Emily Schwartz, “The Past, the Present, and the Future”; Meghan Dale, “Once Upon a Time”; Mallory Spayd, “Sky”; Maggie Brown, “I Come from Being Me”; Alex Crecelius, “What is Poetry About”; Victoria Fetter, “Tiger”; and Laney Vaughn, “Ballroom Mirror.”

North Knox Jr./Sr. High School
Jonathan Stokes, “The Tenth Commandment”; and Riley Beaman, “The Bucket List.”

Lawrenceville High School
Abigail Love, “The World in Color.”

Jasper High School
Emma Grow, “Ode to the Sweet Beau of Mine.”

Vincennes Rivet High School
Taylor Lammert, “My Mother Taught Me.”

Terre Haute North Vigo High School
Kimberly Collins, “Driving”; Ashley Schroeter, “Still I Sit”; Athena Renee Cline, “Everything Happens”; Madison Walker, “My Mom”; Mia Speer, “True Beauty”; and Abigail Brown, “Me.”

Evansville North High School
Natalie Christian, “Jumping Off this Bridge.”

Mount Vernon Township High School
Kadin Asberry, “In Hindsight” and “Serendipity.”

Castle High School
Sarah Davis, “Magnificent Things.”