We are thrilled by all the wonderful work received for this year’s teen anthology. We are doubly glad to announce our award winner, Marie Ungar, selected by UVA Creative Writing professor, Jeffery Renard Allen. Marie is a rising junior, poetry editor of our Crossroads IV anthology, active writer and winner of the latest Writer’s Eye contest at UVA, and co-editor of our 2016/2017 Crossroads V anthology!
Because we believe in the power and worth of writing as an art, the Tupelo Press Teen Writing Center offers a $500 award for our high school teen writing contest, sponsored by the Secular Society, and each teen finalist receives a book for their personal library, selected by Jeffrey Levine, Founder, Editor in Chief and Publisher of Tupelo Press, whose ideas inspired the founding of the teen writing center, and whose active support of our young poets is deep and generous, as well as a gift certificate to New Dominion Bookstore. Thanks go to the Virginia Arts of the Book Center for use of space and introduction of our teens to the art of letterpress, especially to Garrett Queen for his patient mentorship, and to the Writerhouse, our fall meeting place, and a constant resource for local writers of all ages.
We are delighted at the opportunity to recognize high school student writers, and look forward to our fall program and winter submissions!