Winners for the Young Writers Contest Announced

The following students are the Gilmer County winners of the Young Writer's contest!

Grades 7th/8th—Jesse Jones, "A Moment to Reminisce"

Teacher: Tonya Wine

Summary:

In "A Moment to Reminisce," written by Jesse Jones, a S.W.A.T. officer reflects on a traumatic incident where he was forced to use his firearm instead of his taser during a tense confrontation. This leads him to question his instincts and decisions. The narrative shifts between his current state of despair, sitting on a bench grappling with guilt and judgment from a fellow officer, and the moments leading up to the incident. As they prepare for a high-stakes operation, the officer recalls the chilling moment he fired his weapon, followed by an overwhelming sense of regret and confusion about his actions. The story captures the internal struggle of a person torn between the responsibilities of duty and the emotional aftermath of life-altering decisions in the line of duty.

Grades 9th/10th—Oasha Hess, "Echo of the Cursed Mansion"

Teacher: Tabatha Beall

Summary:

In a small college town, a group of college students decide they want to explore a mansion that has been known to allegedly have hauntings because they didn’t believe the stories. They would soon be in for a treat, having paranormal sightings such as doors opening. There were rooms that seemed to be frozen in time with family portraits all of the same family in different periods of time. The students found one door that was locked, and they picked the lock. As they were looking around the locked room, something sinister caught them and they were never seen again.

Grades 11th/12th—Dustin Harper, "The Last Stand"

Teacher: Barbara Yoder

Summary:

The sun was setting when the first gunshot pierced the silence of a barren field, marking a turning point that could not be undone. In the town of Ashbrook, which had faced years of hardship due to economic decline and drought, two families, the Hawkes and the Morgans, stood at the center of a conflict over dwindling resources.

As both families gathered outside the courthouse to negotiate, their conversation turned into an argument. John Hawke, the stubborn patriarch, confronted Edith Morgan, known for her cold determination. Tensions escalated, leading to a chaotic outburst of violence when a young Morgan shot a Hawke boy named Tommy.

In the ensuing chaos, both families drew their weapons, creating a violent clash in the streets. Amid the turmoil, Edith’s son, Michael, was shot, leaving her in shock. John and Edith, amidst the chaos, faced each other, both knowing an inevitable confrontation was coming.

In a final exchange, both fired their weapons, resulting in John being wounded fatally. The fight concluded with significant loss for both families, leaving Ashbrook forever changed. As darkness fell, the haunting question remained: Was it worth it?