WPS Finalists Announced in Annual Young Authors Contest

4/24/2024

Berlin, MD – The Eastern Shore Literacy Association (ESLA) recently announced that 22 Worcester Preparatory School (WPS) students earned finalist status in the Young Authors Contest for poetry or short story. According to ESLA Young Authors’ Contest Chair, Dr. Brian Cook, there were over 300 entries from 19 area schools, both public and private. Each finalist finished in the top three of their respective category/grade levels.

2024 ELSA Young Authors’ finalists from WPS:

Grade 1, Short Story – 3rd place Nicole Sebastian

Grade 2, Short Story – 2nd place Ryder Whitlock

Grade 3, Short Story – 3rd place tie Dev Pillai

Grade 4, Short Story – 2nd place tie Anya Murukutla

Grade 5, Short Story – 1st place Sloane Smith, 2nd place Tejal Pillai and 3rd place Serena Jaoude

Grade 6, Poetry – 2nd place Lea Jaoude and 3rd place Alessia Ziman

Grade 6, Short Story – 1st place Lea Jaoude and 2nd place tie Claire Cooper

Grade 7, Short Story –1st place Juliet Webster

Grade 8, Poetry – 2nd place tie Ellie Phillips

Grade 8, Short Story – 2nd place tie Hayden Wagner

Grade 9, Poetry – 3rd place tie Emma Nordstorm

Grade 9, Short Story – 1st place Sydney Parker and 3rd place Mia Jaoude

Grade 10, Poetry – 1st place Marina Farlow

Grade 10, Short Story – 1st place Jude Damouni, 2nd place Catherine Cullen and 3rd place Jamie Nguyen

Grade 11, Short Story –1st place Lydia Schwartz and 2nd place Will Wells

ESLA is a non-profit organization that supports Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties with the purpose of promoting a literate society by bringing together a network of people dedicated to sharing knowledge and information about literacy through programs and services. ESLA is an affiliate of the State of Maryland Literacy Association (SoMLA), a leading literacy organization in Maryland comprised of over 1,500 members in 17 active chapters.

Founded in 1970, WPS is a private, independent Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 School, located in Berlin, Maryland. Approximately 500 students attend from Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. For more information about WPS, please visit www.worcesterprep.org or call 410.641.3575.

Back

In the front row from the left are WPS Head of School Dr. John McDonald, Nicole Sebastian (Berlin, MD), Ryder Whitlock (Lewes, DE), Dev Pillai (Lewes, DE) and Anya Murukutla (Rehoboth Beach, DE). In the second row from the left are Sloane Smith (Berlin, MD), Tejal Pillai (Lewes, DE), Serena Jaoude (Lewes, DE), Lea Jaoude (Lewes, DE), Alessia Ziman (Ocean City, MD) and Juliet Webster (Rehoboth Beach, DE). In the third row from the left are Ellie Phillips (Ocean City, MD), Hayden Wagner (Lewes, DE

In the front row from the left are WPS Head of School Dr. John McDonald, Nicole Sebastian (Berlin, MD), Ryder Whitlock (Lewes, DE), Dev Pillai (Lewes, DE) and Anya Murukutla (Rehoboth Beach, DE). In the second row from the left are Sloane Smith (Berlin, MD), Tejal Pillai (Lewes, DE), Serena Jaoude (Lewes, DE), Lea Jaoude (Lewes, DE), Alessia Ziman (Ocean City, MD) and Juliet Webster (Rehoboth Beach, DE). In the third row from the left are Ellie Phillips (Ocean City, MD), Hayden Wagner (Lewes, DE), Emma Nordstrom (Berlin, MD), Sydney Parker (Snow Hill, MD) and Mia Jaoude (Lewes, DE). In the back row from the left are Marina Farlow (Berlin, MD), Jude Damouni (Lewes, DE), Catherine Cullen (Berlin, MD), Jamie Nguyen (Dagsboro, DE), Lydia Schwartz (Salisbury, MD) and Will Wells (Seaford, DE). Not pictured: Claire Cooper.

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Worcester Preparatory School

508 South Main Street, Berlin, MD 21811

Phone: 410-641-3575 | Fax: 410-641-3586

Celebrating 50 years, WPS is an independent, college prep day school for Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 students. Located in Berlin, Maryland, the private school attracts an average of 500 students from Maryland, Delaware and Virginia.