Young Authors Contest Recognizes Severna Park Youth

The Anne Arundel County Young Authors Contest chooses one short story and one poem from each grade level as winners every year. The 2023 contest included four winners or runners-up from Severna Park.

With her story “Bunny Business,” Benfield Elementary third-grader Audrey Tong-Holcomb took first in the third-grade contest and second in the Maryland competition.

She chose her story because she is fond of books about talking animals.

“I love writing for fun because there are no restrictions,” Audrey said. “You can just release your imagination and be creative!”

Also from Benfield Elementary, Jack Zapf took second place in the county contest for fourth-grade short story with “The Avalanche.” Benfield’s Delaney Johnston earned second place for fifth-grade poetry with “Prayers for Ukraine.”

Broadneck Elementary first-grader Henry Custis Lynch took second place for his grade’s Anne Arundel County short story contest. His story was titled “The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Piggy.”

Audrey feels like the competition was a great way for young writers to work on their craft.

“Reading helps me get inspired from my favorite authors,” she said. “It also helps to develop a new vocabulary and see the story from the reader's perspective.”