Creative Writing Contest
Creative Writing Contest- 46 years
46th AAUW Creative Writing Contest - 2025
The AAUW Batavia-Geneva-St. Charles branch proudly continues its tradition of encouraging and honoring aspiring young writers through its Creative Writing Contest. In 2025, we will celebrate the 46th anniversary of the contest. This long history is a testament to the dedication of local teachers as well as of our branch volunteers.
April 10th, 2025 (second TH of April)
Program: Creative Writing Awards Ceremony
When: 6:30 pm Program promptly
Where: TBD
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Follow this link for the entry form. LINK. new will be available in Oct 2025
Entries will be collected from area middle schools by AAUW the morning of Thursday, Feb 13, 2025
Submission deadline is 5pm Wed, Feb 13th.
For home schooled students, please email us for instructions membershipaauw@yahoo.com
For questions, please contact our Chair - Maryann Stearn, membershipaauw@yahoo.com
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From entry form LINK
Eligibility:45th Annual Creative Writing ContestAll 7th and 8th grade public, private and home-schooled students from Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles.Rules:∗ Each student may submit only one entry.∗ The entry must be the original work of the student whose name is on the submission form.∗ The entry may not exceed 4 pages. All entries must be typed, 12pt. Times New Roman font, doublespaced, and single sided.∗ Name of the submitter must be on the completed entry form. The form must be signed and attached to theentry.∗ Student’s name should not appear on the fiction, non-fiction or poetry paper.∗ Deadline is 5pm Wednesday, February 15, 2023. No entries will be accepted after that time. Entries will becollected by AAUW members the morning of Thursday, Feb. 16.∗ Entries will not be returned and become the property of AAUW. Winning entries may be published or displayedin part or in full. All other entries will be destroyed.Awards:Seventh and eighth grade entries will be judged separately. One 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place medal of achievement will be awarded in each category of fiction, non-fiction and poetry for both grades. Three honorable mentions will also be awarded in each category for each grade. Winners will be honored at a ceremony in April where a short excerpt from their piece will be read by an AAUW Branch member.Judging:Judges will consider qualities of good writing including a sense of audience and purpose, as well as conventions of usage and mechanics. Any submitted pieces that don’t conform to the rules will be disqualified.Past Award Ceremonies
45th AAUW Creative Writing Contest - 2024
Tri-City Middle School Students Win AAUW Creative Writing Awards
Eighteen students from Tri-City middle schools were awarded medals and certificates for their original fiction, non-fiction and poetry in a ceremony at the St Charles Pubic Library April 6 by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Batavia-Geneva-St. Charles Branch. The guest speaker for the event was author Anitra Rowe Schulte.
The winners were selected from over 300 entries in the student contest, which the AAUW group has held annually to recognize and encourage the work of young writers.
AAUW would like to thank Colonial Cafe and Ice Cream - a 45 year sponsor -
that has generously contributed to this year’s awards for the Creative Writing Contest winners.
AAUW Program 2024 3_24.pdfWinners of the 45th Creative Writing Contest
44th AAUW Creative Writing Contest - 2023
Tri-City Middle School Students Win AAUW Creative Writing Awards
Eighteen students from Tri-City middle schools were awarded medals and certificates for their original fiction, non-fiction and poetry in a ceremony at the St Charles Pubic Library April 7 by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Batavia-Geneva-St. Charles Branch. The guest speaker for the event was author Diane Lincoln of Geneva.
The winners were selected from over 300 entries in the student contest, which the AAUW group has held annually to recognize and encourage the work of young writers.
AAUW would like to thank Colonial Cafe and Ice Cream - a 44 year sponsor -
that has generously contributed to this year’s awards for the Creative Writing Contest winners.
Award winners and schools are:
Place, Name, School, Teacher 7th Grade Fiction1st, Liliana Petrovich, Wredling, Mrs. Jacobi2nd, Brooke Battista, Thompson, Mrs. Yegge
3rd, Isabella Fontana, Rotolo, Ms. Christopher
7th Grade Poetry
1st, Charlie Weis, Rotolo, Ms. Christopher
2nd, Avery Szuch, Thompson, Mrs. Yegge
3rd, Margaret Schoenfelder, Thompson, Mrs. Yegge
7th Grade Non-Fiction
1st, Jackson Jonak, Rotolo, Ms. Christopher
2nd, Gabriella Baines, Rotolo, Ms. Christopher
3rd, Maxwell Koertge, Wredling, Mrs. Jacobi
8th Grade Fiction
1st, James Bryner, Thompson, Mrs. Abbinante
2nd, Brady White, Thompson, Mrs. Abbinante / Mrs. Schiltz
3rd, Jesse Schiltz, Thompson, Mrs. Abbinante
8th Grade Poetry
1st, Lenore Hanson, Thompson, Mrs. Abbinante / Mrs. Schiltz
2nd, Munroe Wing, Rotolo, Mr. Carlson
3rd, Bailey Wolfe, Rotolo, Dr. Gabris
8th Grade Non-Fiction
1st, Ryan Cameron, Thompson, Mrs. Abbinante
2nd, Nathan Dunat, Thompson, Mrs. Abbinante / Mrs. Schiltz
3rd, Isabella Maldonado, Thompson, Mrs. Abbinante / Mrs. Schiltz
LINK TO PROGRAM WITH ALL AWARDEES and honorable mentions
Winners
1st row left to right
Maxwell Koertge, Brooke Battista, Jesse Schiltz, Ryan Cameron, Nathan Dunat, Jackson Jonak
2nd row left to right
Charlie Weis, Bailey Wolfe, Gabriella Baines, Liliana Petrovich, Margaret Schoenfelder,
Avery Szuch, Lenore Hanson, Isabella Fontana, Munroe Wing
43rd AAUW Creative Writing Contest - 2022
Tri-City Middle School Students Win AAUW Creative Writing Awards
Fifteen students from Tri-City middle schools were awarded medals and certificates for their original fiction, non-fiction and poetry in a ceremony at the Geneva Pubic Library April 6 by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Batavia-Geneva-St. Charles Branch. The guest speaker for the event was author Sarah Aronson of Evanston
The winners were selected from over 200 entries in the student contest, which the AAUW group has held annually for more than 40 years to recognize and encourage the work of young writers. We sincerely thank all the teachers and parents for supporting their children’s interest in writing. Above all, congratulations to this year’s awardees!
Award winners and schools are:
Award winners and schools are:
8th Grade Fiction: 1st Prize—Sarah Alf, Rotolo; 2nd Prize—Mia Muscarello, Thompson; 3rd Prize—Genevieve Dillon, Thompson.
7th Grade Fiction: 1st Prize—Abbigale Harmon; 2nd Prize—Archer Isaac; 3rd Prize—Jill Schulz, all of Rotolo.
7th and 8th Grade Non-Fiction: 1st Prize—Zachary Sunderbruch, Wredling; 2nd Prize—Margaret Hirschauer, Rotolo ; 3rd Prize—Claudia Kowal, Thompson.
8th Grade Poetry: 1st Prize—Grace Elftmann, Rotolo; 2nd Prize—Margaret Andrzejewski, Thompson; 3rd Prize—Logan Havis, Thompson
7th Grade Poetry: 1st Prize—Bailey Wolfe; 2nd Prize—Zoe Kimball; 3rd Prize—Diana Wolf---all of Rotolo
Front row from left: Logan Havis, Grace Elftmann, Zoe Kimball, Genevieve Dillon, Zachary Sunderbruch, Claudia Kowal, Mia Muscaarello,
Back row from left: Dylan Kazadi, Archer Isaac, Sarah Alf, Abbigale Harrmon, Bailey Wolfe,Margaret Hirschauer, Sienna Lux
42nd AAUW Creative Writing Contest - 2021
Past Award Ceremonies - 2019
2019 awardees
April 4th 2019
April 4 2019 honored 16 students at the 40th AAUW Creative Writing Award Ceremony
Sixteen Tri-City 7th and 8th graders received medals for their fiction and non-fiction winning contest entries from the American Association of University Women, Batavia-St.Charles-Geneva branch at a reception and ceremony held in their honor at the Batavia Library on April 4.
The AAUW branch has held the annual contest for 40 years.
The keynote address was given by Illinois novelist Julie Oleszek, and excerpts from each winning entry were read to an assembly of students, families, teachers, and AAUW members.
Winners are:7th Grade Fiction: 1st Place—Alexandra Lee, Geneva Middle School South; 2nd Place—Emily Sheluga, Wredling; 3rd Place—Ava Larson, Wredling; 4th Place—Matthew Brunson, Wredling.7th Grade Non-Fiction: 1st Place—Riley Wilson, Thompson; 2nd Place—Emerson Kerzman, Wredling; 3rd Place—Katie Jones, Wredling; 4th Place—Brooklyn Lukowski, Wredling.8th Grade Fiction: 1st Place—Lily Newkirk, Rotolo; 2nd Place—Jacqui Hart, Geneva Middle School South; 3rd Place—Eli Balisi, Rotolo; 4th Place—Delia Bonnet, Rotolo.8th Grade Non-Fiction: 1st Place—Gabrielle Kuretsky, Rotolo; 2nd Place—Meredith Brown, Rotolo; 3rd Place—Alana Grace Plourde, Rotolo; 4th Place, Savanna Huang, Geneva Middle School NorthFollow this link for a list of all winners and honorable mentions. LINK
AAUW would like to thank the following donor that has generously contributed
to this year’s awards for the Creative Writing Contest winners.
Colonial Cafe and Ice Cream - a 40 year sponsor
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Past Award Ceremonies - 2018
Past - Creative Writing Awards Ceremony
April 5th 2018
Eighteen Tri-City middle school students received medals at our annual reception honoring young writers on April 5 as proud parents, teachers and friends looked on. A number of our members helped judge the contest's fiction, essay and poetry entries, and Mary Ann Stearn served as the ceremony's emcee.
The keynote speech was given by Geneva author E. V. Jones, writer of The Cloverleaf Chronicles young-adult book series. Sharing the challenges of publishing her first novel, she encouraged the students to persevere in their own writing. The young winners, who were from Rotolo, Geneva North, Thompson, and Wredling schools, read excerpts of their prize-winning compositions, and all attendees enjoyed our refreshments of milk and cookies.
Follow this link for a list of all winners and honorable mentions. LINK
Past Award Ceremonies - 2017
April 6th 2017
Below are the winners and a link to the picture for the April 6, 2017 ceremony.
Press Release:
Link to pictureEighteen students from Tri-City middle schools were awarded medals fororiginal fiction, non-fiction and poetry awarded by the AmericanAssociation of University Women (AAUW) Batavia-Geneva-St. CharlesBranch at a ceremony and reception April 10 in St. Charles. Thewinners, who read excerpts of their prize-winning compositions at theevent, were selected from over 300 entries in the student writingcontest, which the AAUW branch has held annually for the past 35years. Award recipients are: 8th Grade Fiction: 1st Prize—Madeline Conlon, Rotolo; 2ndPrize—Daniel Anthoney, Wredling; 3rd Prize—Elinor Hiller, Rotolo. 8th Grade Non-Fiction: 1st Prize—Elise Daley, Rotolo; 2nd Prize—EmmaKaschke, Wredling; 3rd Prize—Lauren Madden, Rotolo. 8th Grade Poetry: 1st Prize—Virginia Wright, Geneva North; 2ndPrize—Adriana Wandell, Wredling; 3rd Prize—Madeline Hamann, Rotolo. 7th Grade Fiction: 1st Prize—Lainey Moore, Rotolo; 2nd Prize—GabrielLebowa, Rotolo; 3rd Prize—Joe Caltagirone, Rotolo. 7th Grade Non-Fiction: 1st Prize—Emma Olson, Geneva North; 2ndPrize—Max Montgomery, Haines; 3rd Prize—Renee Forsyth, Rotolo. 7th Grade Poetry: 1st Prize—Martina Nava, Haines; 2nd Prize—OliviaSinger, Rotolo; 3rd Prize—Luke Magnabosco, Haines. Keynote Speaker for the event was Kerri Hollihan,award-winning Chicago area author of young-adult non-fiction books anda former member of the AAUW branch.Photo Identification:Front row from left: Joe Caltagirone; Renee Forsyth; Lainey Moore;Emma Olson; Martina Nava; Max Montgomery, Luke Magnabosco, GabrielLebowa.Back row from left: Lauren Madden; Madeline Conlon, Elinor Hiller;Adriana Wandell; Elise Daley; Daniel Anthoney; Emma Kaschke; VirginiaWright, Madeline HamannNot pictured: Olivia Singer