Tri-Cities middle school students receive AAUW Writing Awards
Eighteen students from Tri-Cities middle schools were awarded medals for original fiction, nonfiction and poetry awarded by the American Association of University Women Batavia-Geneva-St. Charles Branch at a ceremony and reception April 6 in St. Charles.
The winners, who read excerpts of their prize-winning compositions at the event, were selected from more than 300 entries in the student writing contest, which the AAUW branch has held annually for the past 35 years.
Award recipients are:
• Eighth-grade fiction: first place, Madeline Conlon, Rotolo Middle School in Batavia; second place, Daniel Anthoney, Wredling Middle School in St. Charles; and third place, Elinor Hiller, Rotolo.
• Eighth-grade nonfiction: first place, Elise Daley, Rotolo; second place, Emma Kaschke, Wredling; and third place, Lauren Madden, Rotolo.
• Eighth-grade poetry: first place, Virginia Wright, Geneva North Middle School; second place, Adriana Wandell, Wredling; and third place, Madeline Hamann, Rotolo.
• Seventh-grade fiction: first place, Lainey Moore, Rotolo; second place, Gabriel Lebowa, Rotolo; third place, Joe Caltagirone, Rotolo.
• Seventh-grade nonfiction: first place, Emma Olson, Geneva North; second place, Max Montgomery, Haines; and third place, Renee Forsyth, Rotolo.
• Seventh-grade poetry: first place, Martina Nava, Haines Middle School in St. Charles; second place, Olivia Singer, Rotolo; and third place, Luke Magnabosco, Haines.
The keynote speaker for the event was Kerri Hollihan, an award-winning Chicago area author of young-adult nonfiction books and a former member of the AAUW branch.
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