2021 Short Story & Essay Contest

Bethesda Magazine and the Bethesda Urban Partnership sponsor an annual competition for local writers. This year, 304 adults and high school students entered the short story contest, and 222 adults and high school students entered the essay contest. The writers who placed in the contests were awarded cash prizes ranging from $25 to $500.

Short Story Contest

Adult Short Story Contest

• First Place, Kathleen Wheaton, “Light Housework“
• Second Place: Matthew Kelly, “Familiaris“
• Third Place: A. Jo Procter, “Gertrude Stein and the Cabinet of Curios“
• Honorable Mention: Nancy Hanlon, “The Last Party“
• Honorable Mention: Cliff Gale, “From March to September“
• Honorable Mention: Briana Maley, “Dear Jude“

High School Short Story Contest

• First Place, Jillian Vordick, “The Birds“
• Second Place: Rashmi Kanipakala, “Solace in the Stars“
• Third Place: Esme Pickel, “Melinda Believing“
• Honorable Mention: Samantha Mouyard, “Clunky Red Shoes“
• Honorable Mention: Avana Wang, “Scrambled Eggs“

Essay Contest

Adult Essay Contest

• First Place, Sarah Wang, “Learning the Ropes“
• Second Place: Cynthia Mamalian, “Pink, Berry, Plum Maybe, but Never Peach“
• Third Place: Tina Xia, “Memories Untold“
• Honorable Mention: Sarah Birnbach, “August, 1967“
• Honorable Mention: Rebekah Richards, “The Tidal Basin Before Dawn“

High School Essay Contest

• First Place, Leo Kalb Bourke, “Judaism for Me“
• Second Place: Grace McGuire, “Pointe Shoe Graveyard“
• Third Place: Armaan Salchak, “Communities Facing Climate Change Together“
• Honorable Mention: Jaylen Panjehshahi, “My Lost Void“
• Honorable Mention: Hannah Stearns, “Movie Night: Memoir“
• Honorable Mention: Alexander Toti, “My Last Sunset in The County“

Judges

Meet the judges of this year’s writing competition.