Houghton High School Takes Another Hat Trick 🏒
U.P. Student Writers to be Honored for Best Short Stories
MARQUETTE, MI (March 4th, 2024)— the Upper Peninsula Publishers & Authors Association (UPPAA) is extremely pleased to announce the winners of the 7th annual Dandelion Cottage Award. The award recognizes U.P. student short story writers for excellence in grades 5 – 12. The Dandelion Cottage Award is funded entirely by charitable donations and no fees have ever been charged to entrants or winners. Students submit stories in consultation with their teachers. The contest now includes honors for first-, second-, and third-place winners in both the senior and junior divisions. The contest is chaired by Larry Buege (Marquette, MI), a UPPAA Board member and author of the popular Chogan series.
In the senior division (grades 9 – 12), Houghton High School swept all three awards. This marks the second year running that the school has captured three wins. Each of the HHS students was sponsored by teacher Jessica Klein. First place will be awarded to Skye Isaacson, a freshman for her story “The Birthday Party”. The award includes a medallion, the winner’s name on a traveling school trophy, and a $250 cash prize. Second place will be awarded to freshman Miina Chopp for her story “Starved” accompanied by a medallion and $100 prize. A medallion and prize money of $50 will go to third-place winner and freshman Leah Johnson for her story “There Are No Happy Endings”.
In the junior division, for writers in grades 5 – 8, winners hailed from both the Keweenaw and the Soo. Eve Noble (grade 8), in the Copper Country Christian School, won first place for her story “Despondent,” (sponsors Judy Chizek and Erica Blasiola) which confers a $150 prize. Isla Peterson (grade 8) in Joseph K. Lumsden Bahweting Anishnabe PSA (sponsor Aaron Litzner) won second place for her story “Echo” which includes a $75 prize. Analise Verberkmoes (grade 8) in the Copper Country Christian School (sponsors Judy Chizek and Erica Blasiola) took third place for her story “Time Deprivation” with a $25 prize.
This year’s 32 participants came from six different U.P. schools from Sault Ste. Marie to Houghton as well as the Marquette County. The judges would like to thank each and every student who submitted their work. For more information about the annual Dandelion Cottage short story contest, visit www.DandelionCottage.org.
Two Dandelion Cottage Award Winners – Junior Division
Eve Noble (1st Place) and Analise Verberkmoes (3rd Place)
Each of the honored stories will appear in the upcoming 8th volume of U.P. Reader, UPPAA’s own annual literary anthology featuring short stories, poetry and essays by its members. This successful publication helps spread the word about the organization, raise money for educational programming, and encourages people in the Upper Peninsula and beyond to read U.P. writers. Complimentary copies of the U.P. Reader are available to all U.P. educators and media for the asking. The on-sale date is scheduled for April 15, 2024. Consult your local bookseller for availability or purchase at Amazon. For more information, visit www.UPReader.org.
The awards will also be celebrated at the 26th Annual UPPAA Conference at the Peter White Library in Marquette on May 18th, 2024.
About the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association (UPPAA)
The UPPAA was founded in 1998 and is a non-profit 501(c)6 corporation with the goal of educating and empowering authors of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.. Among its outreach programs are the U.P. Notable Books List, the Dandelion Cottage Award, and a yearly anthology The U.P. Reader.
For more information about this award, contact president@uppaa.org (Victor Volkman)
