Budding writers across the district were honored at the 24th annual Paper Gardens Celebration and book release party this week. Chosen from 525 entries, 20 McMinnville School District students won recognition in 10 different prose or poetry categories.Winners, along with families, teachers and writing group friends, were invited to attend the event on May 4 at the Chehalem Cultural Center in Newberg. All authors were recognized and introduced onstage, received their own copy of
the Paper Gardens 2017 book, and asked to read their winning piece.
This year’s judges included Dr. Anna Keesey, Linfield College professor and author of the award-winning novel “Little Century,” who served as prose judge, and Oregon Poet Laureate and Confederated Warm Springs Tribal member Elizabeth Woody, who served as poetry judge.
PROSE WINNING ENTRIES
Children’s Fiction
The Baby Dragon — Aspen Bailey — Memorial Elementary
James and the Bully — Josiah Cummings — Grandhaven Elementary
Life of a Country Girl — Henry Newman — Memorial Elementary
Strangers — Conner Payne — Duniway Middle School
Children’s Nonfiction
The Cat — Ayla Sullens — Wascher Elemetary
The Caves — Allison Shaver — Grandhaven Elementary
Diagnosis Day — Alicia Beck — Wascher Elementary
Youth Fiction
It’s Your Choice — Zachary Reinker — McMinnville High
POETRY WINNING ENTRIES
Children’s Free Verse
Rain Rain — Maya Altree — Memorial Elementary
Children’s Traditional
Circus Clown — Noah Jones — Memorial Elementary
December — Josiah Cummings — Grandhaven Elementary
Ode to Suess — Walt Rosenberg — Memorial Elementary
Children’s Poetry of Place
Knowing — Sam King — Memorial Elementary
Mindfulness Garden — Maya Altree — Memorial Elementary
Mountain of Yamhill — Madelyn Smith — Memorial Elementary
Children’s Haiku
Leaves — Delaney Adams — Grandhaven Elementary
Pause on the Path — Madelyn Smith — Memorial Elementary
Summer Warmth — Yoshigei Diaz Hernandez — Grandhaven Elementary
Youth Free Verse
Andy — Alexia Echauri Jordan — Patton Middle School
On Turning 19 — Katie Alvarez — McMinnville High School
Regrets — Lillie Spencer — Patton Middle School
Youth Traditional
What I Prefer — Teegan Sterling — Duniway Middle School
Winter River — Meadow Kuchinsky — Duniway Middle School
Youth Poetry of Place
Fall in McMinnville — Lillie Spencer — Patton Middle School
The Arts Alliance of Yamhill County hosts the annual Paper Gardens competition, a creative writing program poetry that accepts free entries from students ages 6 through 18. For over two decades, the Paper Gardens chapbook has brought together the diverse voices of Yamhill County writers and poets into a single book. This unique publication features creative submissions from children, youth and adults who live, study or work in Yamhill County.