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Literary Festival

416 McKinley Ave.
Geneva, IL 60134
Phone: 630-463-3800

2024-2025 Literary Festival

Festival Date: Thursday, April 17th at Wheaton North 


The Literary Festival is a writing competition held within the DuKane conference with the intention of providing students an opportunity to showcase their accomplishments as writers. In addition, the festival is a celebration of young writers and encourages the development of a writing community among the participating schools.  Students submit entries in 6 possible categories for judging. On the day of the actual festival, the students see a guest speaker who is a professional writer, attend workshops led by the judges, and receive awards for their submissions.

Categories

Descriptive Sketch

  • We may submit up to 25 sketches. 
  • The verbal creation of a person, place or object. Must be prose (no poetry). Plot developments and conflict resolution are NOT allowed. Minimum dialogue is permitted only to enhance the description.  

Poetry

  • We may submit up to 30 poems.
  • Two poems can count as 1 entry.

Short Fiction

  •  We may submit up to 15 stories.
  • The page length may not exceed 10 pages, typed, double-spaced in 12 point font. 

Dramatic Scene

  • We may submit up to 25 entries.
  • This category includes any short scene, one-act play, or sketch written for a stage performance. Entries may not exceed 15 pagest. Radio plays, telescreens and film scripts are not eligible.

Personal Essay

  • We may submit up to 15 essays.
  • This includes, but is not limited to the College Essay. It may include creative nonfiction. (A personal essay is different than a personal narrative because of the reflective nature of the essay and its tie to a “universal truth.”

Spoken Word (Slam) Poetry

  • Must be recorded and given to Mrs. Stegenga or Ms. Dicicco to upload digitally. 
  • One spoken word poem counts as 1 entry. Not to exceed 3 minutes each. 

Submission Guidelines

Submission Deadline:  Friday, December 20th, 2024 

  • Students may submit up to 3 entries in a category; however, you do not HAVE to submit in more than one category
  • To submit, please use the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/EzaRcj3L28
  • If a student submits, he or she does not have to attend the festival; judged submissions and any applicable awards will be delivered back at school.
  • If you have any submission questions, please see Mrs. Stegenga in the Library Ms. Dicicco in the English office. Their emails are [email protected] and [email protected] 

 

Sponsor

Mrs. Stegenga

Ms. Dicicco

Winners

Descriptive Sketch
Bailey Hollis- Critic's Choice 
Lia Dellutri- Critic's Choice 
Jared Walter- First Place 
Luke Oess- First Place 
Celia Wolak- First Place 
Megan McChrystal- Second Place 
Anne Douglass- Second Place 
Corinne Stanuch- Second Place 
Josie Kennedy- Second Place 
Mia Bruno- Third Place 
Amma Oduro- Third Place
John Kegel- Third Place 
Amelia Murphy- Third Place 
Lily McConnell- Honorable Mention 
Ava Myszkowski- Honorable Mention 
Rosie Prange- Honorable Mention 
Emma Lehman- Honorable Mention 
Jack Arnold- Honorable Mention 
Ian Toczylowski- Honorable Mention   

Poetry
Lia Dellutri- Critic's Choice 
Myo Mahar Nwe- Honorable Mention
Anna Keller- Honorable Mention 
Josh Baxter- Honorable Mention 
Katie Wilson- Honorable Mention 

Short Fiction

Anna Keller- First Place 
Leyna Yonehara- First Place 
Katy Harvey- Second Place 
Amelia Murphy- Third Place 
Anna Keller- Third Place 
Morgan Thomas- Honorable Mention 
Jared Walter- Honorable Mention 
Katie Wilson- Honorable Mention 
Mia Bruno- Honorable Mention 

Drama
Megan McChrystal- Third Place 
Gianna Valenti- Honorable Mention