Yumion Writing Contest Winners Announced
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The Ohoopee Regional Library System has announced the winners and top placements in the annual Yumion Writing Contest, which is held each year in preparation for the Vidalia Onion Festival.
This contest allows kindergarten through 8th grade students the chance to let their creativity shine and showcase the area’s famous crop and mascot. Kindergarten participants are tasked with drawing a picture to tell their Yumion story, while 1st and 2nd grade students have the option of drawing a picture or writing a 50-100-word story. Students from 3rd grade until 8th grade must write their Yumion tale, with the following word limits: Grades 3-4 – 200-350 words; Grades 5-6 – 350500 words; and Grades 7-8 – 450-650 words.
Each entry must feature the city of Vidalia, Yumion, and/or the Vidalia Onion, and may be poems or stories. These entries should be creative and not merely the story of how the onions were discovered.
The top 3 stories or drawings and an honorable mention have been awarded for each category. Winners will receive varying prize money based on their placement – 1st Place — $25, 2nd Place– $20, 3rd Place — $15, and Honorable Mention — $10.
This year, J.D. Dickerson Primary School Student Jehlani Dixon took home 1st place in the kindergarten division, while Montgomery County Elementary School Kindergartener Miron Nasretdinov came in 2nd Place, Toombs Central Elementary School Kindergartener Jacob Tootle followed in 3rd Place, and Lyons Primary School Kindergartener Rosalee Vicks was awarded honorable mention.
In the 1st-2nd Grade division, Vidalia Heritage Academy Student Braelyn Matthews earned 1st place, Montgomery County Elementary School Student Ruby Haymon was awarded 2nd place, Sally D. Meadows Elementary School Student Kyson Zhou took 3rd place, and Lyons Primary School Student Griffin Toler was named the honorable mention winner.
In the 3rd-4th Grade division, North Tattnall Elementary School Student Nolan Campos was awarded 1st place, Toombs Central Elementary School Student Mason Dykes followed in 2nd place, Vidalia Heritage Academy Student Emilia Faulk earned 3rd place, and Abeka Academy Homeschool Student Ava King received the honorable mention.
In the 5th-6th Grade division, Montgomery County Elementary School Student Savannah Horton won the top honors of 1st place, Robert Toombs Christian Academy Student Mason Bowman earned 2nd place, Robert Toombs Christian Academy Student Talon Boyd was awarded 3rd place, and Toombs Central Elementary School Student Natalie Bell was named the honorable mention.
Robert Toombs Christian Academy students swept the 7th-8th grade division of the competition, as Elijah Sanford was awarded 1st place, Emma Kennedy followed in 2nd place, Emma Kate Palma earned 3rd place, and Chesney Burch received honorable mention.
The writings and drawings that won each division are featured in this week’s edition of The Advance.
For more information on the contest, please email wrights@ohoopeelibrary. org.
