2026 Young Writers State Winners
My Favorite Place
Karson Artis
Wayne County
1st Place, Grades 1-2
The Lonely Octopus
Dylan Lipscomb
Preston County
Second Place, Grades 1-2
The Buzzer Beater
Preston Petrice
Randolph County
Third Place, Grades 1-2
Marlin’s Smelly Problem
Joshua Ramsey
Summers County
First Place, Grades 3-4
Selling Eggs for My Nest Egg
Brice Ullom
Marshall County
Second Place, Grades 3-4
A Family Tradition
Mason Karp
Lewis County
Third Place, Grades 3-4
Blank Spaces
Jaela Starr
Mingo County
First Place, Grades 5-6
Standing Strong
Isaiah Fitts
Summers County
Second Place, Grades 5-6
Square by Square
Adair Cheek
Berkeley County
Third Place, Grades 5-6
The Pyro Accident
Gio Maniscarco
Tucker County
First Place, Grades 7-8
Car Crash
Zoey Sturm
Wood County
Second Place, Grades 7-8
Warmth
Ava Holman
Lewis County
Third Place Grades 7-8
Otra Vez
Chanel Dowell
Randolph County
First Place, Grades 9-10
An Echo of Lost Memories
Amber Arora
Cabell County
Second Place, Grades 9-10
The Hands That Made Me
Paige Totten
Greenbrier County
Third Place, Grades 9-10
Love Doesn’t End After Death
Irrisa Earnest
Harrison County
First Place, Grades 11-12
The Barrel
Hailee Johnson
Tyler County
Second Place, Grades 11-12
Morning Peaches
Deedra Groves
Brooke County
Third Place, Grades 11-12