Narragansett Girl Wins Top Prize in KDMF Writing Contest

The winners of this year’s Katie DeCubellis Memorial Foundation writing contest have been announced.

And picking the winners was no easy task, said the man who judged the contest, award-winning writer Bruce DeSilva.

“After spending many years editing the work of some of the best journalists in the country, I didn’t know what to expect when I was asked to judge the writing of high school students—but it certainly wasn’t this. These young people can write!” he said.

This year’s topic is “Positive Change.” Entrants were asked to create a negative situation and find a way to take the story in a positive direction.

First place winner is Emily McNeice of Narragansett High School for her piece, “Gravity,” upon which DeSilva heaped glowing praise.

“The shimmering narrative is crisp and electric, a mesmerizing chronicle of a father and daughter, on the verge of implosion, forced to confront a huge loss in their lives,” DeSilva wrote. “A story that could have succumbed to sentiment is marked by its originality and unpredictability. From the superbly-crafted first paragraph to the terse epigraph of an ending, the quality of the prose is something any professional writer would be proud to have created.”

McNeiece is no stranger to the KDMF writing contest, as last year acclaimed author Casey Sherman gave McNeiece second place for her submission, “A Second Chance.”

This year’s $500.00 second place winner is 11th grader Anaissa Grenier of Cranston, for her work entitled “Whatever Shade Darkness Is.”

“The conflict unwinds in a way that shines a light on the story’s well-honed characterizations and the tortured, shifting allegiances that pulse at its core. An outstanding balance of sharp dialogue and exposition. And what a great title,” DeSilva said.

Classical High School 11th grader Stephanie Ortiz of Providence takes third prize for “You are Perfectly Imperfect,” which DaSilva said “What could have been just another “undervalued introvert learns to blossom” story that Ortiz “enlivened by a unique perspective. The characters are engaging and deftly crafted.”

Ocean Tides student Christian Ward got an honorable mention for his submission, which DeSilva said “is impossible to walk away from this story without feeling its heart—and the writer’s utter dedication to this transitional tale.”

DeSilva’s whose crime fiction has won the Edgar and Macavity Awards and his book reviews have been published in The New York Times Sunday Book Review, Publishers Weekly, The Strand Magazine, and scores of other print and online publications. Previously, he was a journalist for forty years, most recently as writing coach world-wide for The Associated Press, editing stories that won nearly every major journalism prize, including the Polk Award (twice), the Livingston (twice) and the Pulitzer.

The KDMF is also proud to announce that, for the third year, AAA Northeast has joined forces with KDMF as their corporate sponsor for the contest. For the past eleven years, KDMF has awarded money and prizes to students who placed in the annual writing contest.

A ceremony was held Monday, May 18th at 7pm at the Warwick Mall to announce this year’s winners. Television reporter/WPRO radio anchor and children’s book author Laura Clarizio emceed the event.

The KDMF and AAA Northeast presented monetary awards to the three top winners and the student receiving Honorable Mention. Additionally, professionally created posters with the winners’ names and writing entries will remain on display at the mall during the week following the ceremony.

For more information about the contest and annual scholarships that the KDMF awards visit the Foundation’s website at www.kdmf.org. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

The Katie DeCubellis Memorial Foundation is named after a 13-year-old Narragansett girl who was killed by a drunk driver in 1999. The foundation promotes youth leadership, supports education and raises awareness about drunk driving and substance abuse.