KET is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Young Writers Contest. The annual contest encourages creative expression and literacy development by inviting students in grades Pre-K through high school to submit original graphic novels, illustrated stories, poetry and short stories.

This year, KET received 1,443 entries from students across Kentucky.

The top three winners are listed below. Artwork from winning entries will be available for viewing at KET.org/WritersContest.

Poetry – Elementary Division
First place: Pippy Raymond, Tully Elementary, Louisville
Second place: Lily Terrell, Burgin Elementary, Danville
Third place: Harvey Stubbs, Homeschool, Richmond

Poetry – Middle Grades Division
First place: Ellias Pitmon, J Graham Brown School, Louisville
Second place: Sydney McIlwraith, Tastes Creek Middle School, Lexington
Third place: Ava Bogard, Calloway County Middle School, Murray

Poetry – High School Division
First place: Sophy Zhao, duPont Manual High School, Louisville
Second place: Esia West, Eastern High School, Louisville
Third place: Sylvia Freire, Eastern High School, Louisville

Graphic Novel
First place, Elementary Division: Ava Evans, Tully Elementary, Louisville
First place, Middle Grades Division: Lucie McCaffrey, SCAPA at Bluegrass, Lexington
First place, High School Division: Claire Higginbotham, Barren Academy of Virtual and Expanded Learning, Nicholasville

Illustrated Story – Early Childhood Division
First place: Hadiyah Gauhar, Chenoweth Elementary, Louisville
Second place: Grayson Stearns, Glenn Marshall Elementary, Richmond
Third place: Annelyse Buckley, Lexington Christian Academy, Lexington

Illustrated Story – Elementary Division
First place: Chloe Iranpour, Eastern Elementary, Georgetown
Second place: Gigi Blalock, W.R. McNeill Elementary School, Bowling Green
Third place: Maryam Gauhar, Greathouse Shryock Elementary, Louisville

Illustrated Story – Middle Grades Division
First place: Calvin Rittichier, Crosby Middle School, Louisville
Second place: Akshaya Majji, Crosby Middle School, Louisville
Third place: Harper Mohlman, Crosby Middle School, Louisville

Short Story – Early Grades Division
First place: Susannah Goodrich, Homeschool, Frankfort
Second place: Colton Knight, Wheeler Elementary, Louisville
Third place: Corabel Hewitt, Homeschool, Louisville

Short Story – Middle Grades Division
First place: Lucy Mudd, Grayson County Middle School, Leitchfield
Second place: Eden Potterton, SCAPA Bluegrass, Lexington
Third place: Ava Bogard, Calloway County Middle School, Murray

Short Story – High School Division
First place: Ella Clanton, Meade County High School, Brandenburg
Second place: Rylie Humphress, Lafayette High School, Lexington
Third place: Carmindy Phillips, Danville High School, Stanford

KET is Kentucky’s largest classroom, where learning comes to life for more than two million people each week via television, online and mobile. Learn more about Kentucky’s preeminent public media organization at KET.org, on Twitter @KET and at facebook.com/KET.