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ELKINS -- The Randolph County winners of the 2025 Young Writers Contest have been announced by Randolph County Schools.
Sponsored by the Central West Virginia Writing Project at Marshall University, the contest celebrates student writing. More than 50 students in Randolph County entered the contest this school year.
Autumn McCune, a first-grader at Beverly Elementary School, won the first and second grades competition with her entry "Friends and Family Forever." According to Randolph County Schools, her entry demonstrated solid sentence structure and a strong positive message about friendship.
For the third and fourth grades competition, MacKenzie Guire, a fourth-grader at Coalton Elementary School, won with her entry "The Best Part of My Year." Her entry stood out for its descriptive language and reflective tone, officials said.
Aiden Treola, a sixth-grader at Elkins Middle School, won the fifth and sixth grades competition with her entry "The Start of Me Losing My Mom." Officials said his entry emerged from a competitive field for its powerful account of a personal tragedy.
For the seventh and eighth grade competition, Clara Pyles, a seventh-grader at Elkins Middle School, won with her entry "Follow Me." Her entry stood out for its cogent narrative and consistent grammar and Mechanics, according to Randolph County Schools, officials said.
"Fred, the Bear," an entry from the Elkins Mountain School, won the ninth and 10th grades competition. The entry emerged as a winner for its focused structure and strong message, officials said.
Ava Hymes, a junior at Elkins High School, won the grades 11-12 competition with her entry
"To Carry the Ridge." Her entry used complex syntax, expressive verb choice and a contemplative tone to wrestle with the landscape of hurt and beauty that many West Virginians see, officials said.
The Randolph County winners have been invited to participate in WV Young Writers Day at the University of Charleston in Charleston on Friday, May 2.
The day will feature writing workshops for all students and their teachers, as well as recognition for the winners.