Bethesda Magazine and the Bethesda Urban Partnership sponsor an annual writing competition for local writers. This year, 145 adults and high school students entered the short story contest, and 200 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 at the Local Writer’s Showcase in April.
Short Story Contest
Adult Short Story Contest
- First Place, Danielle Stonehirsch, “Dandelion Summer“
- Second Place, Carol Solomon, “The Fixer“
- Third Place, Mohini Mahlhotra, “Falling/Flying“
- Honorable Mention, Laura Van Oudenaren, “Log Cabin Story“
High School Short Story Contest
- First Place, Tina Xia, “Summer“
- Second Place, Kathleen Monahan, “Ipsa Scientia Potestas Est“
- Third Place, Olivia Gyapong, “The Origin of Courage“
- Honorable Mention, Kushan Weerakoon, “The Meaning of a Revolution“
Essay Contest
Adult Essay Contest
- First Place, Ingrid Y. Alpern, “The Litany of My Life“
- Second Place, Marilyn Millstone, “Bingo“
- Third Place, Carolyn Sherman, “Now I Lay Thee Down to Sleep“
- Honorable Mention, Sarah Birnbach, “My Mother’s Hands“
- Honorable Mention, Andrew Field, “Celebrity Encounters—Slim Pickings“
- Honorable Mention, Mark Keats, “Accessory Navicular“
High School Essay Contest
- First Place, Emily Tian, “Fluid Dynamics“
- Second Place, Anna Roberson, “Empathy Echoes“
- Third Place, Julian Drumwright, “On a Cold Winter Morning“
- Honorable Mention, Alicia Guevara, “Blind Reflections“
- Honorable Mention, Grace McGuire, “The Struggle Is Real“
- Honorable Mention, Naomi Smith, “Homosapien“
Judges
Meet the judges of this year’s writing competition.
