Canton Writes announces 2016 contest winners

By Canton Citizen

Nearly 100 people packed the library’s community room last Thursday to listen to the winning entries of the sixth annual Canton Writes contest. Seventy writers, ranging in age from 6 to 60-something, competed in the contest. Prizes were awarded for winning first, second or third place in elementary, middle school, high school, and adult categories for poetry, fiction, or nonfiction. Twelve judges selected winners anonymously from among the entries. The audience listened appreciatively as many of the winning entries were read aloud by the authors.

All entries submitted to the contest were published in the Canton Writes 2016 edition, which is now available for purchase from the Friends of the Library’s main desk for $9. Proceeds from the sale help the Friends to underwrite programs such as this. Canton Writes is also subsidized by the Canton Cultural Council, which in turn is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Canton Writes is also sponsored by the Canton Citizen. Thank you to all who sponsored, judged entered or supported our writers!

The Canton Writes Committee includes Kathy Fox Alfano, chair, Mary Jane Mangan, Michael Sundin, Peg Mead and Mark Lague. Judges for 2016 were Bernie Mendillo, Sylvia Cormier, Michael Sundin, Pam Cattel, Lori Fanara, Beth Erickson, Kathy Fox Alfano, Mary Anne Trupe, Rebecca Hayes Hahn, Andrew Capraro, Joanne Wheeler, and Rosie Moore.

Below are the first place winners in each category. A complete list of winners is available at library.canton.ma.us. Winning entries will be published in the Canton Citizen this summer.

Poetry

Elementary: Brain’s Cry by Annanya Gargy

Middle School: Breathing in the Air by Arielle Galinsky

High School: Four Hours by Lauren DiTullio

Adult: Baffin Bay by Suzanne O’Toole

Prose

Elementary: Pressure by Pranav Addanki

Middle School: Ivy by Ellen Efstathiou

High School: Walter by Kate Devine

Adult: Aftertext by Lucien Brodeur*

Nonfiction

Elementary: Julia Child and Me by Mary Connolly