The 2024 WE READ Youth Voices Writing Contest received 130 submissions from children ages 5 to 18.
Winners
Overall Winners
- Grand Prize Winner: Grace Huang, 17, Madison West High School senior, for Speak English
- Runner Up: Nora Irene Moran, 11, Immaculate Heart of Mary School sixth-grader, for A Spark
- Runner Up: Ash Gartler (pen name A.G.), 14, Madison West High School freshman, for there are no stars here
Age Group Winners
- Elementary School Age Group Finalist – Ellis Biller, 9, a fourth-grader at Gompers Elementary School, for The Snake and the Hamster
- Elementary School Age Group Finalist – Sofie Tregre, 10, for Moon
- Middle School Age Group Finalist – Lily Nguyen, 11, a sixth-grader at Core Knowledge Charter School, for Saving Strangers
The 2024 Grand Prize Award-winning story, Speak English, encapsulates the contest’s theme of Celebrate Small Heroes by telling the story of a small act of kindness having a big impact on Huang’s life. Huang, who said she faced many language and racial barriers in her childhood, wrote about one classmate who showed acceptance and friendship when other classmates didn’t.
“I think [the contest is] a great way to get your perspective and story out there,” said WE READ Youth Voices Writing Contest Youth Ambassador Diya Dhawal. “Everyone has a very different mind. Everyone has a different perspective. Getting something out there and writing something is a great accomplishment. You don’t have to win. It’s just a huge accomplishment to even submit to it.”
The Judges
Submissions were reviewed and selected by a carefully chosen panel of judges from the Madison community:
- Diya Dhawal, the Youth Ambassador for the contest and past Grand Prize Winner
- Award-winning author Pat Zietlow Miller
- Forward Madison FC goalkeeper Martin Sanchez
- Laura Bird, author and volunteer for Madison Public Library Foundation and the Wisconsin Book Festival
- Bianca Martin, City Cast Madison podcast host and storyteller
2024 Youth Voices Anthology and Celebration
Although only six stories won prizes, 50 youth had their work published both online and in print in the WE READ Youth Voices Anthology. Print versions are available at all Madison Public Library locations and at all Madison Metropolitan School District library locations or you can download a copy of the anthology.
All featured young authors were honored on Saturday, October 19, 2024 as part of the Four-Day Celebration for the Wisconsin Book Festival, with light refreshments and a brief Q&A with the grand prize winner and two runners-up.
"One of my absolute favorite memories from last year's Fall Celebration was the WE READ Youth Voices Writing Contest reception,” said Wisconsin Book Festival Director Jane Rotonda. “The energy and excitement were a perfect reminder of the powerful impact books, reading, and writing can have, no matter what your age. We're fortunate to have a library program and literary community that honors our talented youth, and celebrates their imagination and creativity. Don't miss this year's event; it's sure to make you smile and feel inspired."
The WE READ program is funded by Madison Public Library Foundation, Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation, Dick Goldberg & Lisa Munro, and Jane Doughty & David Wood.