This special issue of Bridge Ink features the winners of our 2024 Freedom of Expression writing contest in collaboration with Count Basie’s Critical Conversation: Book Banning and the Freedom of Expression event, which was held Saturday, March 23, at The Vogel at Count Basie Center for the Arts. Writers ages 12 to 18 submitted original prose and poetry pieces reflecting the theme FREEDOM. Congratulations to the winners and to all the students who submitted their work. We hope you’ll keep writing and sharing your work because your voice matters!
POETRY AGES 12-14
1st place: VALERIA N. LOPEZ LEMUS, 13, & DANIELA ROJAS-TREJO, 13 || found in your september
2nd place: AVA SANTOS, 14 || what it is to breathe
3rd place: MICHELLE ZHANG, 12 || freedom
honorable mention: ARELY CARRILLO-REYES, 14 || the journey
PROSE AGES 12-14
1st place: OLIVER TIRO-LINARES, 13 || the sun
2nd place: MANUELA RUSSO, 13 || moon
3rd place: GABRIEL KELTERBORN-JOHNSON, 13 || the zone
honorable mention: JAMES TIRO-CIRIACO, 13 || one day or day one
POETRY AGES 15-18
1st place: TOBY GUI, 15 || the holly and the thematic justice of the world
2nd place: HARPER ROBINSON, 15 || freedom in rhythm
3rd place: ELEANOR VIOLET DRAGONETTI, 16 || the pain and destiny
honorable mention: SYDNEE BOWDEN, 16 || purple
PROSE AGES 15-18
1st place: MICHAEL FONTANETTA, 15 || summer
2nd place: SARAH PAIR, 15 || nothing
3rd place: MAROWH JUMA, 18 || innovation does not begin until we start within ourselves
honorable mention: SLOANE MASSEY, 15 || long before we fell apart
Bridge Ink 