2025 Writing Contest Winners

Congratulations to the 2025 Essay, Short Story and Poetry Contest Winners!  

The winning essays, short stories and poems will be published on our website after the 2025 Local Writer’s Showcase. Hear the winning works and meet the writers at this year's Local Writer's Showcase.

LWS

Essay Winners

Sarah Craven, Cabin John, MD, 1st Place
Kathy Wei, Bethesda, MD, 2nd Place
Lisa Park, Fairfax, VA, 3rd Place
Kyi May Kaung, Chevy Chase, MD, Honorable Mention
Celina Santana, Bethesda, MD, Honorable Mention
Lindsey Wray, Arlington, VA, Honorable Mention

 
High School Essay Winners

Logan Moran, Bethesda-Chevy Chase HS, 1st Place
Caroline Easley, Walt Whitman HS, 2nd Place
Micahela Levy, Winston Churchill HS, 3rd Place
Marin Brow, The Potomac School, Honorable Mention
Eleham Salo, Bethesda-Chevy Chase HS, Honorable Mention
Katja Treadwell, Walt Whitman HS, Honorable Mention
 

Short Story Winners

Asma Dilawari, Bethesda, MD, 1st place
Laura Kuhlmann, Rockville, MD, 2nd place
John Simpson, Germantown, MD, 3rd place
Olivia Ikenberry, Silver Spring, MD, Honorable Mention
 

High School Short Story Winners

Max Bakelar, Georgetown Preparatory School, 1st place
Hana Sor, Montgomery Blair HS, 2nd place
Asha Akkinepally, Richard Montgomery HS, 3rd place
Lila Grosko, Montgomery Blair High School, Honorable Mention
 

LWSpoetry

Poetry Winners

John Whelan, Columbia, MD 1st Place
John Heath, Washington, DC 2nd Place
Chelsea McGlynn, Walkersville, MD 3rd Place
Carol Jennings, Washington, D.C., Honorable Mention
Thu Nguyen, Gaithersburg, MD, Honorable Mention
Dylan Tran, Washington, D.C., Honorable Mention
 

High School Poetry Winners

Leah Bulson, Richard Montgomery HS
Chloe Chang, Poolesville HS
Madelyn Downs, Richard Montgomery HS
Charles Gray, Richard Montgomery HS
Katherine Parra, Paint Branch HS
Nina Richards, Richard Montgomery HS