GCSD9 Announces Young Authors Winners

Granite City, Ill., March 10, 2025 – Granite City Community Unit School District #9 has announced the District Young Authors winners for the 2024-25 school year.

The Young Author competition is open to all students kindergarten through 8th grade. After receiving student submissions, each building selects a number of winners based on their school population. From those building winners, a District judging then takes place.

Maryville 1-2 Center Principal Dr. Liz Niepert is GCSD9's Young Author coordinator. Forty volunteers, including students, gathered to judge the District level competition. The judges selected 37 winners to represent GCSD9. These students will be invited to the Madison County Young Author Conference. 

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 34th annual Madison County Young Authors Conference will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025 at Granite City High School.

Congratulations to our District winners!

Prather Kindergarten Center
Grayson Macko - Stop Signs
Oliver Hunter - Ray Really Wants to Do Science!
Rowan Runnels - Emily at Recess
Hayleigh Becker - Lily’s Shiny Adventure
Axyl Rice - The Farm
Gunnar Barnes - My Football Team

Maryville 1-2 Center
Lucas Verschuyl - Thelma Goes to Michigan
Lincoln Kimmel - Lincoln and Tony’s Big Adventure
Jaxon Valencia - Let’s Race

Wilson 1-2 Center
Mason Paterson - Mason & Easton’s Big Adventure
Cora Pointer - Sparkle
Emery Corzine - Kona
Thelonious Mueller - Snow Days with Lili
Bella Lance- Puppy Day
Cristian Escalet  - My Vacation Story

Frohardt 3-4 Center
Oliver Flynn - Lion Kai vs Scar X Karate
Addalyn Fleming - The Monster Who Cried
Vincent Buffo - 10 lb. Godzilla
Reed Venne - The Adventures of a Youtuber
Khloe Maupin - Humble

Mitchell 3-4 Center
Antwon Scott - People vs. Zombies: The War Might be Rising
Amelia Hall - Mia Hamm, A Biography
Kadence Young-  How Luka Saved the Day!
Michael Consiglio - The Case of the Crazy Chicken Nugget
Rhett Hunter - Kiki’s New Dirt Bike

Grigsby Intermediate School
Blane Corzine - The Best, Most Amazing Day Ever…Not
Elijah Adams - Young Author’s Poems
CJ Wampler - Levi’s Adventures with CJ
Lailah Ferguson - Ocean Life
Lydia Woodworth - Different Dinosaur
Brynlee Kincaid - The Wolf
Tyler Cook - Kidtuber
Josiah Hardin- The Lockdown
Savanna Faulkner  - Amari’s First Day of 6th Grade

Coolidge Junior High School
Hadassah Donze - The Darkest Night
Breanna Chandler - Life or Death Situations
Isabelle Flynn - The Sticky Note

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