2017 McDowell awards honor student writing
More than 100 Greenhills authors submitted works for this year’s annual David McDowell Awards competition, which honors the best student writing in a wide variety of categories.
The awards, named for Greenhills’ third head of school, are presented each year to students who write essays, poems, plays, fiction/memoirs, and journalism.
This year’s winners were honored at an awards assembly Monday morning. The gathering featured guest speaker H. Luke Shaefer, a University of Michigan professor who also is director of Poverty Solutions, an interdisciplinary initiative at the university that works to prevent and alleviate poverty.
Shaefer praised the students’ work, and reminded them of the historical impact of strong writing.
“There is no more powerful way to impact the world than powerful writing,” Shaefer said. “Writing can alter the course of events.”
This year’s winners include:
| Category | Winner | Grade Level | Pen Name | Title of Work |
| Journalism | Bonnie Liu | 11th | Rainbow Chipmunk | “Affirmative Action: Dine and Discuss Inspires Thoughts” |
| Poetry | Rita Ionides | 6th | Sierra Edelweiss | “A Letter to the Bumblebees” |
| Poetry*** | Ana Stewart | 8th | Holly | Multiple Titles |
| Poetry | Julia Bohm | 11th | Hg | Multiple Titles |
| Fiction/Memoir | Emma van Alstine | 6th | — | “Journey to the Beyond” |
| Fiction/Memoir | Makayla Harris | 8th | Oh Glowing Eyes | “The Stage, Bryce, and the Kid Next Door” |
| Fiction/Memoir | Julia Bohm | 11th | Hg | “These Are the Days When Birds Come Back” |
| Essay | Arjun Purohit | 8th | — | “My True Colors” |
| Essay | Divya Macha | 11th | — | “Analysis of the ‘Africanist’ Presence in Grey’s Anatomy” |
| Playwriting | Andy Xie | 12th | Dandy Jumo | “Fracture” |
| Pen Name Award MS | Jingqi Geng | 8th | Song in the River City | |
| Pen Name Award US | Adam Buchmueller | 11th | The Grumpalo |
