The winners of Westminster College’s Creative Writing Contest for high school students will share their works at the Bleasby Colloquium at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, in Mueller Theater of the campus’ McKelvey Campus Center.

The students and their winning poems, written in the form of an ode to an object, are:

•    Linnea Funari, a senior at Wilmington Area High School in New Wilmington. Funari will present “My Hair.”
•    Kathryn Luft, a senior at Shaler Area High School in Pittsburgh. Luft will present “My Blanket.”
•    Tiya Singh, a sophomore at Quaker Valley High School in Leetsdale, Pa. Singh will present “Innocent Songs.”
•    Emily Dempsey, a student at Rochester High School in Rochester, Pa., will not be present, but her piece, “Garden of My Heart,” will be shared.

Students from Lawrence, Allegheny, Beaver and Mahoning (Ohio) counties submitted entries—either a poem written in the form of an ode to an object or a 2,000-word non-fiction piece.

“Westminster’s English faculty have appreciated the opportunity to read the variety of poems submitted by these talented young writers,” said Dr. Kristianne Kalata, chair of the Department of English. “We have met with several finalists already and have enjoyed learning about what inspires them. We encourage these students to keep up with the craft. The good creative work they are doing is transferable to so many academic paths and career opportunities.”

Winners were invited to attend a poetry workshop with Westminster Professor of English Dr. David Swerdlow. Each will receive the James Ashbook Perkins Creative Writing Award, named for the late Dr. James Perkins who taught English, writing and public relations at Westminster College from 1973 until his retirement in 2008. He passed away in 2022.

During his tenure, Perkins served as department chair, won the Distinguished Faculty Award, earned four National Endowment for the Humanities fellowships, was a Visiting Fulbright Professor in Korea and published widely as a poet, short fiction writer and literary critic.

Nine Westminster students studying poetry with Swerdlow or creative non-fiction with Dr. Trisha Cowen, associate professor of English, will read original works crafted for their classes. Students include:

•    Haley Bell, sophomore English and political science double major from Franklin, Pa.
•    Macaria Benjamin, a sophomore psychology major from Athens, Pa.
•    Cassandra Evans, a sophomore English major from New Castle, Pa.
•    Joseph Ferrans, a freshman English major from Mercer, Pa.
•    Gwendolyn Gray, a senior history major from Louisville, Ky.
•    Olivia Plummer, a junior English major from Seneca, Pa.
•    Sydney Rensel, a senior English major from Evans City, Pa.
•    Chloe Smith, a junior English major from Brookville, Pa.
•    Kamryn Taylor, a sophomore English major from Erie, Pa.

Sponsored by the Department of English, the Bleasby Colloquium is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.

The Westminster College George Bleasby Colloquia series of literary events is an event in honor of the late Dr. George Bleasby, who chaired the Westminster College Department of English from 1954-1975. These programs are presentations by department faculty, featured speakers, and majors on individual scholarship, interests and creative projects.

For more information, please contact Dr. Kristianne Kalata, chair of the English department, at kalatak@westminster.edu.

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