It’s rare you have the chance to hear the author of a story read to you in person. However, parents, relatives and educators who gathered in the John Marshall High School Commons Wednesday evening had the chance to hear the voices of award-winning young writers who attend a school in Marshall County.

Students who placed in the annual Marshall County Literacy Council’s Young Writers contest were invited to read their original stories to an audience during the Young Writers Tea. Every story is also printed in the 2023 Marshall County Young Writers Anthology.

The contest began with more than 150 submissions countywide. Twenty-one students, in first through tenth grade, received recognition for their well-written stories.

Entries varied on topics but each submission was composed during the current school year, during school hours and supervised by a teacher. Compositions were judged based on ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency and conventions.

All students who placed first in the county are invited to attend Young Writers Day on Friday, May 5, 2023, at the University of Charleston.

The Young Writer’s contest has been held in Marshall County since 1984.