RFAS celebrates diversity of thought, experience, and culture.
LITERARY CONTEST 2023
Reception & Awards Ceremony recognizing the top 12 winners
Tuesday, December 12 at The North Carolina Executive Mansion
LITERARY CONTEST 2023
Reception & Awards Ceremony recognizing the top 12 winners
Tuesday, December 12 at The North Carolina Executive Mansion
OUR FOCUS
About The Literary Contest
SPOKEN WORD CONTEST
Winners and Finalists announced in the 2023 High School Spoken Word Contest
United Arts Wake County and Raleigh Fine Arts Society announced the three winners in the High School Spoken Word Contest at the award ceremony which was held on December 12th at the North Carolina Executive Mansion. The 12 finalists, listed below, were invited to the reception with their families. They were chosen from 83 entries from 21 different public and private high schools.
The winners were:
1st Place: Amy Le/ Green Hope High School
2nd Place: Gracie Hatch/ Southeast Raleigh
3rd Place: Olivia Riddoch/ Green Hope High School
The 12 finalists were:
Jeannette Evans | Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy
Talia Favatella | North Wake College and Career Academy
Valeria López Gutiérrez | Athens
Gracie Hatch | Southeast Raleigh
Khalilah Inayah | Garner
Devin Jennings | Middle Creek
Amy Le | Green Hope
Nada Naji | South Garner
Olivia Riddoch | Green Hope
Madelyn Scholle | Middle Creek
Rishil Shirumalla | Green Hope
Devin Williamson | South Garner
The finalists’ poems will be featured in a traveling Poetry Trail which will travel to different venues throughout the Triangle. There are 12 signs, each of which has a QR code linked to a video of the student performing the poem that they wrote.
The contest was created by Dasan Ahanu as part of his tenure as Piedmont Laureate. The contest is sponsored by United Arts, Raleigh Arts, Durham Arts Council, Orange County Arts Commission, and in partnership with Raleigh Fine Arts Society.
Dasan Ahanu,
2023 Piedmont Laureate
OUR FOCUS
About The Literary Contest
Dasan Ahanu,
2023 Piedmont Laureate
SPOKEN WORD CONTEST
Winners and Finalists announced in the 2023 High School Spoken Word Contest
United Arts Wake County and Raleigh Fine Arts Society announced the three winners in the High School Spoken Word Contest at the award ceremony which was held on December 12th at the North Carolina Executive Mansion. The 12 finalists, listed below, were invited to the reception with their families. They were chosen from 83 entries from 21 different public and private high schools.
The winners were:
1st Place: Amy Le/ Green Hope High School
2nd Place: Gracie Hatch/ Southeast Raleigh
3rd Place: Olivia Riddoch/ Green Hope High School
The 12 finalists were:
Jeannette Evans | Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy
Talia Favatella | North Wake College and Career Academy
Valeria López Gutiérrez | Athens
Gracie Hatch | Southeast Raleigh
Khalilah Inayah | Garner
Devin Jennings | Middle Creek
Amy Le | Green Hope
Nada Naji | South Garner
Olivia Riddoch | Green Hope
Madelyn Scholle | Middle Creek
Rishil Shirumalla | Green Hope
Devin Williamson | South Garner
The finalists’ poems will be featured in a traveling Poetry Trail which will travel to different venues throughout the Triangle. There are 12 signs, each of which has a QR code linked to a video of the student performing the poem that they wrote.
The contest was created by Dasan Ahanu as part of his tenure as Piedmont Laureate. The contest is sponsored by United Arts, Raleigh Arts, Durham Arts Council, Orange County Arts Commission, and in partnership with Raleigh Fine Arts Society.
LITERARY CONTEST 2023
2023 Spoken Word Contest Winners
1st place winner Amy Le
Gracie Hatch, 2nd place winner, with Dasan Ahanu, 2023 Piedmont Laureate
Dasan Ahanu, at left, with the three Spoken Word winners Amy Le (1st place), Gracie Hatch (2nd place) and Olivia Riddoch (3rd place)
First Lady Kristin Cooper with the top 12 finalists
CASH PRIZES
Contest Awards
The competition offers recognition for student writers, their teachers, and their schools, as well as cash prizes.
In addition, each school that has an overall winner or first place winner is given $100 to be used by its English Department to promote creative writing.
CASH PRIZES
Contest Awards
The competition offers recognition for student writers, their teachers, and their schools, as well as cash prizes.
In addition, each school that has an overall winner or first place winner is given $100 to be used by its English Department to promote creative writing.
MORE INFORMATION
Previous Winners & Speakers
Thank you to all who participated in the 2021-2022 contest!
For over 40 years, winning students have had the opportunity to hear from North Carolina authors and professors.
Click here for the list of Previous Guest Speakers