For the third year, authors and poets in Eastern Carolina have had an opportunity
to enter their works in the Symposium’s writing contest. The categories this year
included Tales of New Bern in honor of the 300th anniversary. The winners were announced
and prizes awarded at a reception Friday, May 14.
The Young Ages (grades 9 -12) category attracted a number of gifted writers, and
three are receiving scholarships. Two were donated by the New Bern Breakfast Rotary
Club, and one was established to honor Stephan Horvath, author and one of the founders
of the Symposium. Beatrix VanderMeer, a student at New Bern High, is the winner
of the Stephan Horvath Memorial Scholarship with her “Battling the Burnside” fiction
piece. The two Rotary scholarships were won by Taylor McCoy, of the Epiphany School,
for her poem “Why” and Hannah Marie Ethridge, of Ruth Chapel’s Christian School,
for her story “The Duel.”
The first place winner in the adult poetry contest was Claire Pittman for her poem
“Shooting the Moon.” Second places went to Jeanne Julian for her Tales of New Bern
poem “Brices Creek Blessing” and our three-time, repeat winner Betsy Sprague for
“Stolen Moments.” In the nonfiction category, Betsy Sprague took first place for
“Where the Two Rivers Meet;" and Alva Harris and Ken Capps tied for second place.
Finally, the fiction category saw two new entrants. Kate Parker's “Lingering Battles”
took first place, and Rachel Victoria Mill won second for her composition “Willie
Ain’t Here.”
Congratulations to all the winners, and a thank you to our nine judges who had so
many wonderful entries from which to select the winners. Next year the Symposium
hopes even more authors will submit works and have a chance to be recognized for
their talents.
