GCSD9 Announces Young Authors Winners

Granite City, Ill., February 21, 2024 – Granite City Community Unit School District #9 has announced the District Young Authors winners for the 2023-24 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 Education Center Principal Dr. Liz Niepert is GCSD9's coordinator.  

GCSD9 had 42 volunteers, including students, gathered to judge the District level competition.  The judges selected 36 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 33rd annual Madison County Young Authors Conference will be held on Saturday, April 27 at Edwardsville High School.

Congratulations to our District winners!

Prather Kindergarten Center

Name-Grade-Story Title
Arlyn Monroe                         K                    Doggy Daycare
Melody Flowers-Williams       K                    Butterflies and Elephants
Lincoln Kimmel                      K                    My Baby Triceratops
Viviana Ortiz                          K                    Making Cake Pops With My Mom
Rosalyn McMillan                  K                    Gifts

Maryville 1-2 Center       
Ava Bremer                            2                    The Mystery Hockey Player
Josephine Damiano               2                    The One Left Out

Wilson 1-2 Center
Emery Corzine                        1                    Alvins's Story
Thelonios Mueller                   1                    The Life of Me
Stella Tripp                             2                    Working Dogs
Blakelee Peterson                  2                    Blakelee and Piper's Grand Adventures
Mollie Frazier                          2                    The Candy Island

Mitchell 3-4 Center
Antwon Scott                        3          People vs. Zombies: The War Ends
Amelia Hall                           3          All About Giraffes
Lucas Fisher                         3          The Adventures of Chameleo the Snake Making Friends
Abel Gravot                          4          The Big Bad Book

Frohardt 3-4 Center
Darrianna Brockman             3          The Princess's Powers
Lucy Colby                            3          The Mysterious Problema
Ellie Ortiz                              3          The Unexpected Blizzard
Joseph Willaredt                   3          In the Woods
Lillian Clutts                          4          The Time Machine
Blane Corzine                       4          My Favorite Teams and Players in the NFL Poetry

Grigsby 5-6 Center
Taisley Goodman                 5          How a Girl Started Playing Soccer Season 2
Emma Lux                           5          Old Friend New Friend
Temperance Roy                 5          5 Wonders Pets Can Be Heroes Too
Searrah Tyler                       5          Mr. Good Guy
Alexis Chavez                      6          The Creation of Imagination
Reed Corzine                       6          A Companion in the Canyon
Haley Goodyear                   6          Oaklynn's Run
Kimberlyn Meador                6          The Forgotten
Gracie Taylor                        6          With You

Coolidge Jr. High 
Hadassah Donze                 7          The Sun & the Moon
Isabella Crippen                   8          Not Everything is What it Seems to Be
Riley Dover                          8          Poems
Ambrielle Herrin                   8          A Broken Wish
Emma Gray                          8          Golden Breakthrough

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