Lillian Shackleford, of Appleton, and Caroline Wisniewski, of Belmont, have each been named County winner of The Telling Room's 19th Annual Statewide Writing Contest. 

Each fall The Telling Room encourages Maine youth to submit work to the annual contest, and this year received nearly 300 submissions of creative writing, according to The Telling Room, in a news release. Youth shared poems, stories, and essays from all across Maine and The Telling Room received writing by youth in fourteen of Maine’s counties.

“This year’s selection of winning pieces reflects what youth across Maine are processing—their concerns, their experiences, and daily realities,” said Telling Room Communications & Editorial Director Rylan Hynes. “You’ll see immigration, mental health, a love of nature, and the different meanings of home show up in several of the poems, stories, and essays. There’s also a lot of heart and empathy in this writing, as youth strive to share their own experiences and connect with the experiences of others.”

Jude Marx said: “Every year, we receive so many strong, powerful pieces by young writers across Maine. This year, we were particularly impressed by the number of powerful personal narratives and essays we received—you can read a few of our favorites in the selection of winning pieces. They speak out about issues facing our community and world right now, tell personal stories of growth and transformation, and bring us into playful and joyful moments.”

Winning selections were chosen by a panel of judges that included local authors, illustrators, editors, Telling Room board members, alumni, and current Telling Room students. Participants in The Telling Room’s Publishing Workshop set the standards by which each piece of writing was judged and had the final say in selecting winners.

Albertina Dos Santos is the grand prize winner. The fourteen-year old freshman currently resides in Portland with her mom and two brothers. “To Love a Country,” was inspired by bits and pieces of stories Albertina grew up hearing from her mother and siblings, ultimately being composed into her most memorable piece. In her free time, Albertina enjoys music analysis and true-crime documentaries. Her motto, “I write poetry as a way to breathe through life—each line a reminder that living is its one art,” is one she strives to live by each day.

In addition to Dos Santos’ Grand Prize winning piece, county winners include: 

“To Take Action” by Hannah Spearrin of Lewiston (Androscoggin County)

“The Street that Raised Me” by Anonymous (Cumberland County)

“From Samosas to S’mores” by Shreya Hosur of Bar Harbor (Hancock County)

“Have You Seen Sofia?” by Nela Parker of Augusta (Kennebec County)

“Mirrors” by Lillian Shackelford of Appleton (Knox County)

“My Interlaced Hands” by Adley Cawthon of Alna (Lincoln County)

“Oh God I Was Only 15” by Khen Julia of South Paris (Oxford County)

“Across” by Elliot Spencer of Orono (Penobscot County)

“Mustard” by James Corbin of Dover-Foxcroft (Piscataquis County)

“Letter to the Reader” by Dynamite June of Bath (Sagadahoc County)

“To My Texas Twin” by Paloma Killoran of Pittsfield (Somerset County)

“Waking Up” by Caroline Wisniewski of Belmont (Waldo County)

“The Island of Hope” by Knox Brown of Eastport (Washington County)

“Transcendence” by Alice Devlin of Berwick (York County)

For more information about the writing contest, please contact Telling Room Lead Teacher Jude Marx: jude@tellingroom.org

The Telling Room is a Maine-based literary arts education nonprofit whose mission is to empower youth through writing and share their voices with the world. Focused on young writers ages 6 to 18, its ten different writing and publishing programs seek to build confidence, strengthen literacy skills, and provide real audiences for student writing.