Will County Gazette

The Short Story Contest is open to fourth through sixth grade students. Students wrote an original story in 500 to 650 words.

The library received 48 entries from 16 District 202 and other area schools.

Author Jasmine Warga judged this year’s contest. Warga wrote the 2022 Bluestem and Caudill-nominated “Other Words for Home.”

Authors and previous Short Story Contest judges Chris Rylander and Celia C. Perez later joined with Warga to present an author panel.

The winning District 202 students, and their stories, are:

4th Grade

1st: The Tale of Cancerzilla by Nala Panozzo (Lincoln Elementary School)

2nd: Skiing at Cascade Mountain by May Nguyen (Eichelberger Elementary School)

3rd: Who Did It? by Grayson Orr (Liberty Elementary School)

5^th Grade

1st: Diary of a Shelter Cat by Tessa McCune by (Lincoln Elementary School)

2nd: My Voice by Hope McSteen (Lincoln Elementary School)

3rd: The Mystery Behind the Walls by Sidney Gargano (Freedom Elementary School)

6^th Grade

1st: Memories by Skylyn Worden (Ira Jones Middle School)

2nd: Mia's Revenge by Mayeli Leon (Indian Trail Middle School)

3rd: Caged Bird Awaits to Fly by Savni Gadgil (Ira Jones Middle School)

Tom Hernandez