GCSD9 Announces 2025-26 Young Authors Winners

Granite City, Ill., March 4, 2026 – Granite City Community Unit School District #9 has announced the District Young Authors winners for the 2025-26 school year.

The Young Author competition is open to all student’s kindergarten through 8th grade. After receiving student submissions, each building selects a number of winners based on their school population. 

From the individual building winners, entries advanced to the district-level judging. Maryville Elementary School Principal Dr. Liz Niepert serves as GCSD9’s Young Author coordinator. Forty volunteers — including student judges — came together to evaluate the submissions at the district competition.

In total, 38 winners were selected to represent GCSD9 and will be invited to attend the Madison County Young Author Conference on April 18.

Each spring the Madison County Regional Office of Education recognizes Young Authors winners in grades K-8 from Madison County schools at a county-wide conference.  Students have the opportunity to share their books with each other, participate in reading/writing centric activities and be entertained by a local author, storyteller or performer.

The 35th annual Madison County Young Authors Conference will be held on Saturday, April 18 at Granite City High School. Congratulations to our District winners!

Maryville Elementary
Wes Kosydor - Dragon
Lincoln Kimmel - Lincoln & Tony's Monster Truck Adventure
Savannah Pellazari - The Haunting on Redwood Street
Cristian Escalet - Trip to Guatemala
Antwon Scott - Human vs Zombies "The Final Hearing of Jackson"

Wilson Elementary
Mason Paterson - The Beach Day I’ll Never Forget
Darrianna Brockman - The Celestial City

Mitchell Elementary
Arlyn Monroe - The Mysterious Campfire
Emmett Neuling - Old Faithful
Lukas Messick - Those Who Remain

Frohardt Elementary
Thelonious Mueller - Kéyah
Emery Corzine - Remi 
Arianna Elliott - The Big Flower
Winston Evans - The Golden Banana Tree
Christian Elliott - How I Learned About Different Countries
Logan Sampson - The Last Box on Valentine's Day

Prather Elementary
Ava Ortiz - The Best Dream Ever
Cora Pointer - Runner the Baby Kitty
Joel Linares Rivera - Canto' del Grillito y la Flor Mágica
Ahri Whalen - The Old Man that Never Left Home|
Mackenzie Hart - The Skating Game
Benjamin Ortiz - Benji Boy to the Rescue

Grigsby Elementary
Isla Tyler - The Best Fairy Tale Ever
Grayson Bishop - Spider Adventure
Kendall Stewart - New Friends
Adrian Canales Rojas - A Field Trip to the Amusement Park
Connor Stewart - The Underground Forest
Ayden Johnson - The Amazing, Super Great, Scary Adventure of Supa-Pugg
Maya Schillinger - Whispers in the Woods
Zariyah Sims - The Sleepover Horrors
Daniel Bautista - Sanchez- Los Oficios de Casa
Aiden Williams - Bears

Coolidge Junior High School
Searrah Tyler - A Miracle from Heaven
Tyler Cook - Timmy the Teen!
Dallon Adkins - The Missing Prince
Zayden Perry - The Great Musical Chase
Maisie Curran - Little Worlds
Gabriel Wiscarson - David and the Egg

For more information about Granite City School District #9, visit www.gcsd9.net.