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March 9, 2010

Gov. Riley proclaims March 10 as 'Young Alabama Writers’ Day'

Special The North Jefferson News

MONTGOMERY — Gov. Bob Riley has proclaimed March 10 as “Young Alabama Writers’ Day.” 

The proclamation coincides with the 16th-annual Alabama High School Literary Arts Awards and Scholarship Competition. The awards are presented by the Alabama Writers’ Forum.

Each year the Forum recognizes young writers, grades 9-12, their teachers and schools for their work in creative nonfiction, drama, fiction and poetry. Scholarships are awarded to Alabama high school seniors for portfolios based on a literary genre. Noted writers in each field judge the submissions.

According to Alabama Writers’ Forum executive director Jeanie Thompson, the awards make it possible for a young writer to find his or her audience.

“I always imagine that the next Sonia Sanchez, Rebecca Gilman, or Harper Lee might be sitting in the auditorium when we hand out the awards,” Thompson said.  “Recognizing and encouraging young writers is some of the most important work we can do as published adult writers.  They are our future, and we greet them with much fanfare as they arrive in the literary community.”

This year’s awards ceremony will take place in the Alabama State Capitol Auditorium Wednesday at 1 p.m. Novelist, playwright and educator Sena Jeter Naslund will deliver the keynote address. The public is invited.

The Alabama Writers’ Forum is a partnership program of the Alabama State Council on the Arts. For a complete list of 2010 High School Literary Arts Awards winners, visit www.writersforum.org/programs/.

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